School Holds Surprise 'Gay' Day for Kindergartners

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Some parents are shocked to find their children are learning to be homosexual allies and will participate in "Coming Out Day" at a public elementary school tomorrow – and they claim the school failed to notify parents. One mother of a kindergartner who attends Faith Ringgold School of Art and Science, a K-8 charter school in Hayward, Calif., said she asked her 5-year-old daughter what she was learning at school. The little girl replied, "We're learning to be allies." The mother also said a Gay Straight Alliance club regularly meets in the kindergarten classroom during lunch. According to a Pacific Justice Institute report, Faith Ringgold opted not to inform the parents of its pro-homosexual activities beforehand. The school is celebrating "Gay and Lesbian History Month" and is in the process of observing "Ally Week," a pro-"gay" occasion usually geared toward high school students.

• JJ Commentary: Talk about blatant indoctrination. Christians, get your children out of public schools!

England Requiring Sex Education -- Even in Kindergarten

LONDON — It's a controversial idea in a country known for prudishness about sex — teaching kids as young as 5 about the birds and bees. But with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe, the British government is bringing sex education to all schools in England — including kindergarten-aged children. While countries like France, Holland and China already require sex education, few places demand that it be introduced at such a young age "It's vital that this information doesn't come from playground rumor or the mixed messages from the media about sex," Schools Minister Jim Knight said Thursday, announcing that sex ed would be added to the national curriculum.

• JJ Commentary: This is an example of the circular logic employed by the homosexual agenda and the New World Order folks who have promoted sex through the media and by passing out condoms in our schools. Then they point to increased teenage sex and pregnancies to justify even greater promotion of sex among our young people. Anything to break down the family and violate God’s laws.

Missouri. School Faces HIV Scare

NORMANDY, Mo. (AP) — Students at a suburban St. Louis high school headed to the gymnasium for HIV testing this week after an infected person told health officials as many as 50 teenagers might have been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS. The district is consulting with national AIDS organizations as it tries to minimize the fallout and prevent the infection — and misinformation — from spreading at Normandy High School. The St. Louis County Health Department will not say how any exposure might have occurred. Health Department spokesman Craig LeFebvre has said the possibilities include sexual activity, intravenous drug use, piercings and tattoos. Hochstedler said that as far as he knows, no other district has had to handle a similar situation. Students at the school of 1,300 are being tested, and the district is getting advice on the best ways to support kids in crisis.

• JJ Commentary: Sex, drugs, piercings, tattoos. A potent formula for the destruction of our youth and the disintegration of godliness.

Atheist Bus Campaign Gets off to a Flying Start

The UK Guardian reports that initial fundraising for an atheist advertising campaign on the buses of London raised nearly nine times the amount needed in less than 24 hours. The bendy buses will display posters saying "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life" on 30 buses for four weeks. Prominent atheist and biologist Richard Dawkins will donate another £5,500 to the £47,900 already raised. According to the AP, British Churches have actually encouraged the campaign, with the Methodist church thanking Dawkins for "continued interest" in God and encouraging people to think about the issue. A spokesman for the Church of England said it supports the promotion of any religious position through appropriate channels. A spokesman added: "Christian belief is not about worrying or not enjoying life. Quite the opposite: our faith liberates us to put this life into a proper perspective.

Immigration Still a 'Political Hot Potato' in Arizona

PHOENIX — While some of Arizona's key political races this year are dominated by illegal immigration, the issue has virtually disappeared from the presidential campaigns and debates. Republican Sen. John McCain, who championed a comprehensive immigration overhaul bill three years ago, has barely addressed the topic even though it remains a hot-button controversy in his home state. Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who also supports an overhaul, has been nearly as mum. During three presidential debates, the word "immigration" was uttered only once, according to a check of transcripts posted online by the Commission on Presidential Debates. In that one instance, McCain accused Obama of misrepresenting McCain's position on the topic. There was no further discussion.

By contrast, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio seeks re-election in the Phoenix metro area based largely on his effort to round up and deport illegal immigrants — an enforcement program condemned by Hispanic leaders and Mayor Phil Gordon as "racial profiling." Arpaio is the top law officer in a county that, at 9,200 square miles, is bigger than New Jersey, and has a larger population —3.8 million — than half of the states. The sheriff mocks both presidential candidates for dodging the issue: "Where did it go? Why is it off the radar?" he says. "I'm not an expert on politics, but I think it has to do with (getting) the Hispanic vote." "It's a political hot potato," says Elias Bermudez, founder and chairman of a Phoenix-based advocacy group called Immigrants Without Borders. "They don't want to touch it because it will alienate their base in both parties."

• JJ Commentary: Just another example of how major-party political candidates will pander to the electorate by saying what voters want to hear and not saying what they ought to hear.

NOGALES, Sonora - At least 10 gang suspects were reported killed Thursday morning during a gun battle with police in this Mexican border town, one week after the U.S. State Department warned of growing violence among narcotics rings. Mexican media said four officers were wounded, including some hit by shrapnel when gunmen tossed grenades at them. No law-enforcement agents were reported dead. The outburst was part of a particularly bloody day along the nearly 2,000-mile Mexican border, with 21 people killed in 24 hours of violence involving drug traffickers and other criminal syndicates. In Juarez, along the Texas border, the Associated Press reported four men were gunned down in front of teenagers at an amusement park. A toddler died when the car he was in crashed during a shootout. A businessman was murdered after leading a protest against criminal violence.

• JJ Commentary: Border issues have grown more complex and violent with the advent of drug wars. Even more under the radar but even more important is the continued influx of terrorists into our country. Sleeper cells will soon wake up and everyone will be surprised once again.

Economy (The Third Horseman)

NEW YORK - After three days of relative calm, turbulence returned to Wall Street on Wednesday. Louder warnings of a deep recession and weak corporate earnings took the Dow Jones industrial average down 514 points amid fears that government intervention won't be enough to prevent global economies from faltering. Wednesday's sell-off came after poor earnings from large companies in disparate sectors - Wachovia Corp., Boeing and Merck & Co. - illustrated how wide the economic downturn has spread. The Dow Jones industrial average came off its lows Friday but was down 300 points to 8,370 in early trading, its lowest level in 5 1/2 years amid rising fear that the global economy is in for a deep recession.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government says new claims for jobless benefits increased more than expected last week as companies cut jobs due to the slow economy. The Labor Department reported Thursday that new applications for unemployment benefits rose 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 478,000. Jobless claims above 400,000 are considered to be at recession levels.

USA TODAY — Despite falling interest rates, a growing number of consumers are paying the same — or even more — to borrow on their credit cards. The majority of credit cards on the market have variable, or floating, rates. Theoretically, that means that as the Federal Reserve lowers its federal funds rate — the latest cut took place this month — card holders should also see their borrowing costs fall. In reality, though, banks often set a "floor" that credit card rates can't fall below, and in many cases, that floor has already been reached, analysts say.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, describing the current financial crisis as a "once-in-a-century credit tsunami" acknowledged Thursday that the crisis has exposed flaws in his thinking and in the workings of the free-market system. Greenspan told the House Oversight Committee that his belief that banks would be more prudent in their lending practices because of the need to protect their stockholders had been proven wrong by the current crisis. He called this a "mistake" in his views and said he had been shocked by that. "Given the financial damage to date, I cannot see how we can avoid a significant rise in layoffs and unemployment," Greenspan said. "Fearful American households are attempting to adjust, as best they can, to a rapid contraction in credit availability, threats to retirement funds and increased job insecurity."

LONDON — The Icelandic government said Friday that it reached tentative agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a $2 billion loan over two years as part of an aid package to assist the stricken country. Iceland had sought help from the IMF after its banking system collapsed this month under the weight of the global credit crunch — threatening the entire economy. The country's currency, the krona, has lost half its value since January and banking transactions to and from the island nation in the middle of the North Atlantic have seized up, leaving its population of 320,000 virtually stranded.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian nations on Friday recommitted themselves to establishing an $80 billion emergency fund, as leaders from across Asia and Europe gathered in Beijing to discuss the global financial meltdown. The pledge by South Korea, China, Japan and the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations was reached at a breakfast meeting, according to the office of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who attended the meeting. The deal would enable countries to borrow from the fund when facing a liquidity crunch. It builds on the so-called Chiang Mai Initiative, in which the 13 nations set up bilateral contracts to supply funds through currency swap lines.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian and European leaders meeting in China's capital will demand that the International Monetary Fund play a "critical role" in helping countries hardest-hit by the global financial meltdown, according a draft statement seen by The Associated Press on Friday. The IMF, along with other international financial institutions, should act now to help stabilize struggling banks and plunging share prices, said the draft report. The gathering seeks to build consensus on handling the crisis ahead of a Nov. 15 meeting of the 20 largest economies in Washington D.C.

• JJ Commentary: The financial crisis is fostering greater collaboration and unification across the globe, just as the New World Order folks have planned – in fulfillment of the one-world government prophesied in Revelation 13.

Some Positive Economic News for a Change

Oil prices plunged to their lowest in 16 months Wednesday as global economic worries led investors to predict a further drop in energy demand. The continuing slide in prices is good news for drivers. The nationwide average gasoline price is now the lowest in nearly a year and is set to fall further ($2.78 national average Friday morning). U.S. drivers used 8.845 million barrels a day of gasoline on average in the four weeks ended last Friday, down 4.2% from a year ago. This Friday, oil fell sharply and traded below $65 a barrel Friday amid weakening global demand for crude — despite a decision by the OPEC cartel to cut production quotas by 1.5 million barrels a day from next month.

Sales of existing homes rose 5.5% last month, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Associated Press says that's the biggest increase in five years. “The sales turnaround which began in California several months ago is broadening now to Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island,” Lawrence Yun, the group's chief economist, says in a statement.

• JJ Commentary: While their will be some positives amongst all the negatives, the underlying fundamentals (debt, greed) remain an albatross around the necks of the masses, but not the elite who are responsible for the crisis to begin with (record “golden parachutes” for the perpetrators). The New World Order folks don’t want to destroy the financial system, but rather to consolidate it and use it to disempower and regionalize nations.

More Wildfires

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) — Hot, dry Santa Ana winds — and a high risk of wildfires — returned to southern California on Wednesday, but firefighters quickly jumped on the small brush blazes that erupted. One fire in foothills 60 miles east of Los Angeles gave an early morning scare to residents, but 30 mph winds were pushing the flames away from homes. People in about 100 homes were told they may want to evacuate but were not ordered to do so.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say a wildfire is burning at least 150 acres in west Los Angeles near the Getty Center museum and a portion of the San Diego Freeway has been shut down. Los Angeles fire spokesman Brian Humphrey says the fire is moving toward the Getty Center and Mt. St. Mary's College, but both are "well-protected by a large number of firefighters." Authorities are telling residents in the Brentwood area they may need to evacuate. The fire was contained Thursday.

UPLAND, Calif. (AP) — San Bernardino County fire officials say a wildfire has erupted near Mount Baldy above the city of Upland but no homes are threatened. Authorities say 50 to 100 acres of brush have burned in north San Antonio Heights at the base of the mountain since the blaze erupted at midafternoon Thursday. Helicopters have made water and fire retardant drops. The fire is burning about 40 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

MOAB, Utah (AP) — A 400-acre wildfire has forced some evacuations near Moab. Utah Department of Natural Resources spokesman Jason Curry says the fire started late Tuesday and was likely caused by humans, About six homes, two RV parks and two hotels were evacuated, but there has been no structural damage so far.

WILLIAMS, AZ — The Marteen wildfire has burned 1,811 acres northeast of Williams in Arizona as of Friday morning. There is no estimate yet on when it is expected to be contained.

U.S. to Target Taliban Drug Traffic

WASHINGTON — A stepped-up anti-drug-trafficking effort is emerging as a key part of a broad Bush administration revision in strategy for the war in Afghanistan, U.S. officials say. The strategy review comes as U.S. forces face increased violence in Afghanistan and reflects a growing consensus that drug trafficking has become essential to a Taliban resurgence. "I don't think we appreciated how fast the Taliban was coming back when it got drug money," said Dell Dailey, the State Department's counterterrorism coordinator. "You can build an army real fast if you've got money in your pocket." More than 90% of the world's opium poppy crop came from Afghanistan last year, according to a United Nations report. The Pentagon estimates the Taliban makes $60 million to $80 million a year from drug trafficking.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — More than 1,000 people shouted anti-Taliban slogans in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, protesting the slayings this week of 26 young men from their community by militants in the south. The unprecedented demonstration in the eastern Laghman province was one of the largest anti-Taliban gatherings since the fall of the hard-line Islamist regime following the U.S. invasion in late 2001. n Sunday, Taliban stopped a bus in southern Kandahar province's Maiwand district, a militant-controlled area, and killed 26 of the passengers — beheading at least six of them. A Taliban spokesman said the men were targeted because they were members of Afghan security forces. But Afghan officials disputed that any soldiers were on the bus, saying the Taliban insurgents had killed innocent civilians who were on their way to find jobs in neighboring Iran.