Thomas Vander Woude

This is the story of Mr. Thomas Vander Woude.

But those who know him say they always knew Thomas Vander Woude was special. Whether it was installing a gymnasium floor, training altar boys or coaching sports, when the daily communicant father of seven saw a need, he stepped in.

That trait led to the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 8, when he dove into a septic tank to save the life of his son.

Not only in the Philippines?

Voter fraud.  Yep, even in the great US of A.  The complaints against ACORN or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now concerning their voter engagement programs are mounting.  See here and here for samples.

And it seems that ACORN is positioning to get a share of profits expected from the Mother of All Bailouts in the US (yep, the USD700B government bailout surrounding the home mortgage mess). Thanks to their backers.

H/T:  Michelle.

Who's not taking the 3am call?

It’s shocking that someone who believes himself ready to lead the free world would so brazenly try to dodge any participation in what could be a defining moment in our history. That’s not leadership — it’s cowardice. It’s attempting to stay out of the way of any of the tough choices so that one is free to criticize them after others have stepped up. You can fault John McCain for a lot of things, but lack of leadership and shrinking from the hard choices isn’t one of them.

Guess who Carol Platt Liebau talks about.

H/T: GayPatriotWest. And while you're at it, see what he also says about MSM's missing stories.

Newsbusters also talks of MSM's "lack of interest" in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's in the past years even as many people have expressed the risk to this present day's US financial markets. Of course now they are all over the issue. Because now it is convenient?

May not have been greed nor lack of regulation after all

It seems that the US financial crisis involving Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman, AIG, and many others may not have been caused by greed. At least not by financial greed, that is. They were just trying to cover for losses they already knew would come if they did not resort to the innovative derivatives in the mortgage market.

Political greed perhaps? It now seems that the push for that almost "inalienable right" to have a house, even if people cannot afford to pay for the house is the culprit. Heck it even looks like it was a conspiracy that took 15 years.

Let Drew Zahn or Ace of Spades tell you about it. H/T: ST

Catholic and Pro-choice

H/T: Jill Stanek and Joseph Bottum.

It's news like this that makes me ask again, "What's happening, SJ?"

Catholic University to Honor Justice Breyer Who Wrote Majority Opinion Supporting Partial-Birth Abortion

NEW YORK, September 15, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a brash move defying the U.S Bishops' speakers policy, Fordham University's Stein Center for Law and Ethics announced that pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer is the 2008 recipient of the Fordham-Stein Ethics Prize. Breyer infamously wrote the majority opinion in Stenberg v. Carhart, which struck down state laws banning the practice of partial-birth abortion.

Read the rest here.

I really want to ask again, "What's happening, SJ?". Perplexing.

Meet Gianna Jessen

Get to know Gianna Jessen, through a story by Ted Harvey, Assistant Minority Leader in the Colorado House of Representatives.

Here is how it ends (but read from the top of Ted's story):

Ironically, Alice Madden, the majority leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood resolution, walked over to Gianna and congratulated her.

As the applause began to die down, I raised my hand to be recognized one more time.

"Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I would appreciate your time.

"My name is Ted Harvey, not Paul Harvey, but, please, let me tell you the rest of the story.

"The cause of Gianna's cerebral palsy is not because of some biological freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother.

"You see when her biological mother was 17-years-old and 7-and-a-half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late-term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of saline into the mother's womb, which the fetus is then bathed in and swallows, which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and out. Within 24 hours the results are normally an induced, still-born abortion.

"As Gianna can testify, the procedure is not always 100 percent effective. Gianna is an aborted late-term fetus who was born alive. The high concentration of saline in the womb for 24 hours resulted in a lack of oxygen to her brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy.

"Members, today, we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood…"

BANG! The gavel came down.

Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech — the climax of the morning — the speaker of the House gaveled me down and said, "Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction, but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the House."

At which point I said,

"Mr. Speaker, I understand. I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today."

Silence.

Deafening silence.

I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn't look at me. They were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the Legislature for five tough years, and this made it all worthwhile.

The House majority leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.

Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we touched her soul? She could congratulate an inspirational cerebral palsy victim and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she congratulated was also an abortion survivor.

The headline in The Denver Post the next day read "Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke." The majority leader is quoted as saying, "I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics."

Yes, Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when she was in her mother's womb, and she was when she sang the national anthem on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.

The paper went on to quote Gianna, stating she was glad I told her story.

"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"

All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Here are her words at Born Alive Truth:

Can you imagine not giving babies their basic human rights, no matter how they entered our world? My name is Gianna Jessen, born 31 years ago after a failed abortion. I’m a survivor, as are many others…but if Barack Obama had his way, I wouldn’t be here.

Unfortunately, Barack Obama voted four times against affording these babies their most basic human right. I have serious concerns about Senator Obama’s record and views on this issue, given he voted against these protections four times as a state Senator. Just as abuse victims share their stories to educate the public, fight for the common good and hope that as a result politicians do what’s right, I felt it was important to come forward and give these new born babies a voice.

I am living proof these babies have a right to live, and I invite you to learn more about Senator Obama’s record on this important issue.

-Abortion Survivor Gianna Jessen

Magnificent Cat

This from Bettnett: parody of the Magnificat. Be sure to read the blog post for the context.

“Magnificent Cat”:

Mass media proclaim the greatness of the Obama
Your spirit rejoices in Barry, your savior
For he has looked with earmarks upon his base.

From Election Day, all demographics will call themselves blessed
The BO Man has passed great entitlements for us
And, Hey!, Hussein is NOT his name.

He is the one we’ve been waiting for.
He is the change that we seek.

He has mercy on those who fear him
In every Republican.

He has shown the strength of his polling
He has scattered the journalists in their fawning dispatches

He has cast down the middle class from their suburbs
And has given tingles to Chris Matthews.

He has filled the power-hungry liberals with promises of change
And the rich (Republicans) he has sent away with empty pockets.

He has come to the help of his servant Pelosi
For has remembered his promises of incumbency
The promise he made to the lobbyists
To Biden and his lobbyist son forever.

Blue vs Green

or Green vs Blue, depending on what team you're cheering for. Yep, it is another dream match-up in the UAAP basketball championships.

The dream showdown just got sealed.

Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University ousted their final Four opponents in contrasting fashions to arrange the much anticipated title duel between the country’s fiercest collegiate rivals.

The Green Archers earned a shot at defending the UAAP crown by ousting Far Eastern University with a dramatic 67-62 escape in the 71st men’s basketball semifinals yesterday at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

And it seemed that the Blue Eagles couldn’t wait to lock up the blockbuster finale as this season’s top seed trampled on the University of the East Warriors, 70-50, in the other Final Four duel.

It will be the fourth overall Finals confrontation between the two elite teams, whose rivalry extends beyond the hardcourt.

Ateneo won in 1988 and 2002, while La Salle prevailed in 2001.

If color is any indication what team I am betting on (no bets, please, cheering for, is better), then you know now.