Associated Press – September 24, 2008 12:43 AM ETA federal judge in Alaska is siding with Private-First-Class Michael Barnes. He had told the Army that his religious experience two years ago left him opposed to war in any form.Judge John Sedwich ruled that military investigators failed to prove that Barnes’ religious objections to war were insincere. Barnes enlisted in the Army in March 2005 and arrived in Iraq in September 2006. Soldiers in his unit testified that he devoted much of his spare time to reading the Bible.It’s not clear if the Army will file an appeal. An Army spokesman declined to comment.Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

What about MY sincere beliefs? Do they have to be religious to be moral? Can’t an Atheist abhor war? And what does this say to Father Bush lying so we get into the war??

NEW YORK -Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said Wednesday that the United States could be headed for another Great Depression if Congress doesn’t act on the financial crisis.Palin made the comment in an interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric while visiting New York to meet foreign leaders for the first time in her political career. As Palin sought to establish her credentials in world affairs, first lady Laura Bush said Palin lacked sufficient foreign policy experience but was “a quick study.”Recent surveys have shown that Palin’s popularity, while still strong, has begun to fade.Earlier this month, an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll showed more people viewing Palin favorably than unfavorably, 47 percent to 28 percent. But an ABC News-Washington Post poll released Wednesday showed that in a two-week period, the number seeing Palin positively dropped 6 percentage points while 10 points more see her unfavorably. On Monday, a CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll said her favorable rating dropped 4 points and her unfavorable rating rose 8 points over two weeks.Palin has been in New York this week for a series of meetings with foreign leaders, part of an effort by Republican John McCain’s presidential campaign to counter criticism that the former small-town mayor lacks the experience to be vice president, let alone president in an emergency.

Oh, and Senator McBush backed out of politics to do more politics. Funny how this other politics doesn’t involve a debate.

PISCATAWAY ?”The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” “Of Mice and Men.” And the entire “Harry Potter” series.Those books are among the most popular ? and arguably among the greatest ? books ever written. But next week they will be celebrated for belonging on another list: the most-challenged books in the country.”Banned Book Week,” an annual event organized by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, kicks off Saturday, Sept. 27, and continues through Saturday, Oct. 4. This year’s theme: “Closing Books Shuts Out Ideas.”Among the local libraries participating this year is the Piscataway Township Public Library. Lina Belkewitch, the library’s public-relations specialist, says the week is more about freedom than it is about censorship.”It’s about your freedom to read and freedom not to read it, too,” she said. “It’s your freedom.”In fact, attempts to ban books at local libraries are rarely successful, according to the library association. The books celebrated during “Banned Books Week” are books that most frequently have been the subject of challenges by local residents. A “challenge” occurs when a resident or group of residents attempt to have a book removed from the library’s shelves, generally due to concerns over graphic language, descriptions of violence or racism, or mature themes. When a resident challenges a book, the complaint can lead to a hearing before the library’s board of trustees, or even a court case.But Molly Newling, acting director of the Piscataway library, said she can’t recall a challenge ever getting to the hearing stage at her library. She said generally an explanation of the library’s decision by a librarian will abate complaints.”I can’t recall a time where we’ve had a major challenge,” she said. “Some people have a problem, and we explain it, and we usually fix it.”Piscataway is celebrating the week with a display highlighting books in the library’s collection that are frequently challenged at libraries across the nation.Sharon Rawlins, youth-services consultant for the New Jersey State Library in Trenton, said participation is high among libraries in New Jersey. Some even use yellow caution tape to decorate banned-book displays.

http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=349New Pew Forum on political leanings and religion. No surprises really, but I really hate the “this kind of christian, that kind of christian, and everyone else” mentality.

Happy Fall Equinox. Half day, half night. 12 and 12. Yin and Yang. Chi and Chow. Cheech and Chong. Moe, Larry, and Curly. Woo woo woo.