Hejsan! Jag heter William, och jag är an Amerikansk som bor i Sverige. Hello, my name is William and I am an American gent who is working and living in Sweden right now. My friend, Jonathan, recently asked me if I thought there was any way that I could contribute to his communications network, and I thought that it would be a great outlet for me to share my experiences living abroad. He agreed, and so I will do just that.
I have been living here now for two years, and am in the process of getting a contract extension for two more. During the past two years, I have not been back to the USA, though I will be visiting in May. I have become fluent in Swedish, and I am now learning the French language as well. I have met many Europeans here can speak three or four languages. I am just trying to fit in. As for how I spend most of my time, I am a researcher at a university here in the South of Sweden. I am living in Sweden's third largest city, called Malmö, which is in the very southern tip of the country, not very far at all from Denmark's capital city, Copenhagen.
I have plenty to to say about Sweden, and Europe in general. It has been an incredibly amazing experience here. I hope to be able to contribute around once per week. In the mean time, I will leave with a recent observation about a peculiarity of the Swedish language:
Last year, in May, I went out on a work assignment to Ethiopia, a scientific outreach between my department and a university in Addis Ababa. Having never been to the African continent, I was understandably quite excited about this. Hence, I was trying to
ask my colleagues how I say in Swedish 'I am excited!' It was really a struggle
to get a good answer. It seemed rather odd to me that this was so.
Fast forward to just a couple of weeks ago, I was tasked with giving a lecture on my research topic to a small class of students at the university here, in English. After an intensive week of preparation, I gave the lecture, and as typically happens, I left the room feeling great about the whole affair. Really, I could say that I "felt like a million bucks". So again, turning to my Swedish colleagues, I tried to get an exaggerated expression in Swedish equivalent to saying 'I feel like a million bucks'. And again, it was a major struggle, and I am still
waiting for a good answer. "Jag känner mig jättebra" - I feel extremely good, in the Swedish language just does not convey such enthusiasm
Point being- while Swedes, collectively (and believe me, they
are a collective lot - more on that later) display a goodly dose of megalomania,
there is also a rather modest down-to-earth temperament in this society.
In response to continued sanctions from the European Union, Belarus has ordered the Polish and EU ambassadors to leave the country. The sanctions began after the last election in December 2010, that is considered by many to have been fixed. Many who protested the final vote are still imprisoned. The latest sanctions were in response to Belarus's poor record on human rights.
Germany has led a call for all EU nations to respond by pulling their ambassadors out of Belarus. "This is the last dictatorship, this is the last dictator in Europe,
and we will not let ourselves be intimidated by such actions against one
European institutions or against one member state," German Foreign
Affairs Minister Guido Westerwelle said.
"The European Union and Poland can rely on Germany's solidarity. We
will not let others divide us. The dictator fools
himself when he thinks he can divide us. We will react together. I
suggest that we all recall our ambassadors from Belarus to our capitals.
This is what Germany will do."
The United States also has sanctions against the Belarus's leadership. In December 2011, a year after the questioned elections, the US expanded their own sanctions, but with little complaint from Belarus. It is unknown if the US will join the EU in pulling their ambassador, but it is very possible as the two groups have been working closer and closer together on many subjects, including Iran and Syria.
President Alexander Lukashenko has had run ins with the US and EU before. Nor is this the only election under him to be challenged. During the 2010 elections, other candidates were attacked, kidnapped, and or arrested by police. Since first being elected in 1994, he has officially gained all but total control, and wields authoritarian powers without challenge from the rest of the government.
This fun epic adventure, set in colonial India and based on Rudyard Kipling’s writing, is the ultimate buddy movie. John Huston originally planned it for Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, then Gable and Michael Caine, and finally ended up with Caine and Sean Connery, a fantastic combination.
They play Peachy and Danny, British soldiers with reputations as fraudsters, who embark on an audacious scheme, going to a fabled ancient kingdom in Afghanistan where they plan to bamboozle the natives, rule as kings and revel in untold riches and power.
If the film has a lesson, it may be that colonial ambition is folly and failure, or that it’s futile to impose strict order and discipline on a tribal people, certainly that it’s always wrong to believe your own hype. No matter what moral (if any) you take away, you can’t help but admire the arrogant but charming and amusingly clever con men who tragically overestimate how easily their plan will unfold. They gain trust by acting as military “consultants” and help the people of Kafiristan defeat an enemy. Due to the tribe’s limited understanding of modern weaponry and the protection of armor, they are awestruck when an unscathed Connery seems immortal; he seals the deal and seems God-like when his medallion suggests he is the reincarnation of Alexander the Great.
While Connery lets the worship go to his head and becomes the image of hubris, Caine stays true to his cynical self, and is totally focused on the original goal of making off with gold. Predictably, Connery takes things too far and ignores warnings against getting involved with a woman; Michael Caine’s real wife Shakira plays the beautiful object of Connery’s affection and the occasion of his exposure as a mere mortal.
The Man Who Would be King was nominated for four Oscars, but none for acting, which is a shame because the key to the movie, besides the amazing scenery, exciting nonstop pace, appropriately spare Maurice Jarre score, funny lines, and recent Oscar winner Christopher Plummer as narrator/Kipling, the best thing apart from all that is the completely believable bond of friendship grounded in the special chemistry between Caine and Connery. It’s a fun, entertaining throwback to early Hollywood adventure films, neither shallow nor preachy, and like another John Huston classic, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, shows how a lust for gold and the grandest of plans fall apart because of human stupidity.
This is cross posted from Speakeasy, where you can find further classic entertainment geekery.
More so than in past years, I've noticed more questions from my fellow Protestants about why we would or even should observe Lent. That of course ties in to a larger question of how and why we observe a liturgical calendar at all. And yes, even the people who just shuddered at the term "liturgical calendar" most likely follow one: Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving (unless you aren't thanking anyone in particular) are all feasts in your liturgical calendar.
First, a tiny primer of Lent. Lent is the 40 day season of fasting (minus Sundays) recalling Christ's sacrifice for us and preparing our hearts for Easter. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent was February 22 and Easter is April 8. Why aren't Sundays included in Lent? Because every Sunday is a "Resurrection Sunday" and we always feast and celebrate our risen Lord, so Sunday is never a fast day.
But why don't more Protestants observe Lent? Part of it comes from a distrust of "meaningless traditions" and the desire not to add anything to what God requires. I agree that we should always be making sure our form doesn't get in the way of our substance.
Unfortunately in pursuing the very good goal of Christ Alone, we've thrown out many good and beneficial tools that point us to Christ and strengthen our faith.
Traditions are some of these tools that help us remember God's goodness to us and to reinforce His truth. Sort of like an on going catechization. (Is too a word. Or is now a word.) Nobody has no traditions. Which is not technically a sentence with a double negative, but still convoluted. So rather: Everyone has at least some traditions. Do you celebrate birthdays? Anniversaries? Mother's Day? Arbor Day? Traditions. What about treasured possessions: wedding rings, baby books, and "my first" anything? Traditions. One of our family traditions is having chocolate chip pancakes on Saturdays. Even something as simple as breakfast can become a tradition that helps draw our family together.
Throughout the Bible, anytime God did something for his people, they'd build an altar so that they would remember. Why did he do this? I mean He parted the Red Sea and held back the waters of the Jordan? Who would forget that?
Well, we would! This is what we are:
If the Israelites needed reminders, how much more do we need them in our over stimulated, multi-tasking culture? Celebrating birthdays isn't about cake. Well, it's not all about cake, it's telling someone we care about that they're important. Traditions are a way we remember and elevate the important things of life.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "Humans are amphibians - half spirit and half animal. As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time." This explains why attempts to merely "think" or "feel" ourselves into some preferred spiritual state are destined to fail. We need actions and behaviors to pull our bodies along our spiritual walk. And we also need the rhythms of seasonal change.
Just as we can't always be fasting, we can't always be feasting. Many of us feel relief when the Christmas tree comes down, the decorations are put away, and we get back to "normal life." And I love Christmas, from the first Sunday of Advent through the Feast of Epiphany. The year is marked with seasons, so that every year we get not just a new spring, but a renewed spring. Annual traditions remind us what God has done and what he will continually do for us. His mercies are both new and renewed.
"Of course! That's why we celebrate Easter," you counter. "Why do we need Lent and all that icky fasting?" Particularly in this culture we seem more than willing to celebrate any feast we can: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Groundhog Day--a.k.a. the celebration of sausage. Give us an excuse to party and we are so there. That's why many of us had pancakes or King Cake or copious amounts of alcohol on Mardi Gras, but have no intention (or even knowledge of) observing Lent.
The Lord ordains fasts as well as feasts, and fasting and feasting are two sides of the same coin. The fast makes the feast sweeter, the feast makes the fast more meaningful. It's something we miss in our fast paced, get it now, do it now, instant gratification culture: the joy of anticipation and the pleasure of a feast well earned. In some ways, the cycle of feasting and fasting points to the greater truth that our life on earth is something of a fast in preparation for the eternal Feast with our King.
The Lenten Season is most notably known as a fasting season. The idea of any fast is to put away worldly things and making our flesh conform to the things of the spirit. Traditionally, that means abstaining from some or all food. Nothing brings into sharp relief the strength of our flesh quite like denying it food. But you can abstain from all sorts of things in order that you draw close to God. Some people seem to give up sweets or social media or whatever as a sort Spartan act of denial or some sort of self-improvement exercise. However, the biblical purpose of a fast is to draw near to God, which is why you'll often find the phrase "prayer and fasting" throughout the Bible and other Christian literature.
And now for true confessions from April. I'm not currently fasting anything this Lenten season, at least not yet. I did give up almost all sugar, but that's not for a season and it was for health reasons. So that's not a fast, just my own version of self-torture. (Girl Scout Cookies just came in. Samoas!!! Frozen Thin Mints!!!!) My pastor in Virginia had this wonderful schedule where we'd fast something for a week and dedicated ourselves to a virtue (which he called fasting from and fasting to) for the 6 weeks of Lent. For example, we'd fast from social media and fast to hospitality. I may do that. Or not. Who knows!
Even though I'm not fasting, our family is observing Lent through a Lenten Tree. You can even celebrate a Lenten season that isn't the full 40 days of Lent. Noel Piper has a wonderful book called Treasuring God In Our Traditions that has many great ideas for all sorts of traditions, including Easter and Lent. Bonus: it's a free download from Desiring God! Yeah, buddy!
These are only a couple of ideas for marking Lent. A quick google search of Lenten Devotions brings up enough resources to fulfill your wildest devotional desire. I hope you find some way of marking the season that draws you closer to Jesus. Even though Lent has "officially" started, there is still plenty of time to mark the season. Even if you only concentrate on Holy Week, I think you'll find it makes Easter Sunday more joyous.
My point of this longer than I intended it to be post is that the Lenten Season is a very wonderful and useful tradition. Beyond just advocating for observing Lent (which I do), I encourage you to look into your traditions. Good traditions of both the fast and feast persuasion are useful tools in our sanctification. And of course there are those traditions that are neither good nor useful. But that's another post.
Cross-posted from my blog OddlySaid, where things are said oddly.
No matter which study you read, one thing remains the same, there is a lot of oil available in the territory of the United States, both on and off shore. The United States Geological Service shows that there were 45 billion barrels of oil to be gained in 2005. The Investor Business Daily says there are 112 billion barrels of oil just lying there right now. And the Institute for Energy Research, suggests that there are trillions to be found. Taking the IBD's 112 billion, would give enough gas for 60 million cars, for 60 years.
At the North American Prospect Expo, the Obama administration was heavily criticized for it's hampering of the American economy, by not allowing the country to use it's own oil. Bruce Vincent, president
of Houston oil and natural gas producer Swift Energy, stated that "These have been the most difficult three years from a policy
standpoint that I've ever seen in my career. They've done nothing but restrict access and delay permitting. The Obama administration, unfortunately, has threatened this
industry at every turn."
White House press secretary Jay Carney said President Obama had "put in place policies that will dramatically
expand the amount of exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, will expand the
amount of exploration in Alaska, will expand the amount of natural gas
production here in the US". Yet the administration has revoked 77 oil and gas licenses, in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado, in 2012 alone. That area has the world's largest deposits of shale oil, and according to the Rand Corp, holds between 1.5 and 1.8 trillion barrels of crude.
Under President Obama, gas prices in the United States have gone from an average of $1.89 a gallon, to their current average of $3.47. And Obama threatens the country with promises of it going up to five dollars a gallon. Presidential candidate, former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, has put forth his plan to get the prices back down to at least $2.50 a gallon. Most of his plan includes drilling here, drilling now, and working with friendlier countries such as Canada, who won't threaten to cut oil off from us as some middle eastern countries like to do.
Environmentalists use scare tactics about how entire habitats will be destroyed by drilling for oil. One of their favourite places is the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve, where an estimated ten billion barrels worth is available. If you listen to them, they would have you believe that the entire park would be marred and killed by using the oil that is there. In reality though, only 2,000 acres out of 19 million would be touched.
The benefits of using our own oil is beyond the obvious of it's being cheaper. The jobs it would create would boost the economy in many ways as well. Ending our reliance on foreign sources, would make the US stronger and back to being more dependent.
Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille surprised the world and shocked Haiti, when he resigned Friday. After serving only four months, he left office in protest of government officials, including President Michel Martelly, holding dual citizenship. Dual citizenship is not recognized by Haiti. Many Haitians worry that officials might be being controlled by the country they hold their other citizenship in.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his concern
following Conille's resignation. "This resignation comes at a time when
the Haitian people are eager to embark decisively on the path towards
reconstruction, economic growth and the strengthening of the country's
rule of law institutions," Ban's spokesman said. "The Secretary-General
urges the Haitian authorities to act in the interests of the Haitian
people and appoint a new prime minister as soon as possible.
The singer songwriter was easily one of the most influential artists in the 20th century. Known mostly for his country music, he also played rock and roll, blues, gospel, and folk. One of the most famous parts of his life was the romance he shared with June Carter.
Born in Arkansas, February 26, 1932, he served in the United States Air Force 1950-1954, in Germany, as a Morse Code Interceptor Operator, working on snatching Soviet transmissions from the air waves. He was the first operator to pick up the news of Josef Stalin's death.
It was in Germany that he formed his first band. His second band would be the one that would get him noticed. On December 4, 1956, whilst Cash and the Tennessee Two were cutting tracks, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis dropped by and an impromptu jam session occurred, that would end up leading to a multi state tour for the lot. Cash's career would last until the day he died, September 12, 2003.
Unfortunately, throughout his career he battled with addictions to alcohol, prescription drugs and, at times, illegal drugs as well. Because of this he served jail times, which only added to the outlaw image his songs had given him.
Johnny Cash, would most want to be remembered for three things. His music, his love for June and his family, and for serving God. No matter his struggles, he always found his way back to his Saviour.
Ryan Braun, outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, has won his appeal against a Major League Baseball 50 game suspension after he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Since being charged with it he has consistently maintained his innocence. Friends, such as Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, were also quick to defend him, and state the accusations as ludicrous.
The decision to over rule the suspension was based on two key things. First, the urine sample had been stored at one of the testers homes, rather than sent directly to the lab, leaving an obvious tampering window. And secondly, the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone was five times normal, an impossibly elevated level.
The 28 year old won the National League's Most Valuable Player award last year, and since winning Rookie of the Year in 2007 has been an All Star every year. He currently has a five year contract worth $105 million.
February 25, 1862. The United States government, faced with running out of gold and silver, with which to pay for the civil war, passes the Legal Tender Act. The Act allows the federal government to print paper money, that is not backed by an equal amount of specie.
Bankers, economists, and some congressmen predicted that doing so would destroy the economy. But the greenbacks, as they were called, did not end the world as it was then known, and were very successful. Because of them the North was able to pay it's bills and keep it's economy going strong throughout the war.
The Legal Tender Acts paved the way for the creation of a permanent currency. The same one which is still used today, though the looks have changed a bit.
On February 14, 1917 British authorities give Walter H. Page, the US ambassador to Britain,
a copy of the Zimmermann Note, a coded message from Arthur
Zimmermann, the German foreign secretary, to Count Johann von
Bernstorff, the German ambassador to Mexico. They also handed him a copy that had been decoded by British intelligence.
Zimmermann's message stated that in the event of war with the United States,
Mexico should be asked to enter the conflict as a German ally. In
return, Germany promised to restore to Mexico the territories it had lost to America, in the southwest US.
Seeing this, Page immediately sent a copy to President Woodrow Wilson who allowed the State Department to publish the
note. The press initially treated the telegram as a fake, but Arthur
Zimmermann himself confirmed its authenticity. Once Zimmermann confirmed his telegram, the outcry from the American public, combined with unhappiness over American ships being sunk and suspected German sabotage, was enough for Congress to declare war.
Unfortunately this event is barely remembered. Most are taught that the sinking of the Lusitania was the reason for US entry into WWI. However the Lusitania was sunk May 7, 1915, almost a full two years before the US declared war. The Zimmermann Note is the key event that led to the US joining the war on April 6, 1917.
Tonight is the opening for The Mizel Arts and Culture Center's 16th annual Jewish Film Festival. Hosting movies in English, Hebrew, and German; the 22 films range from documentaries, shorts, slasher flicks, and
historical figure. Pre movie parties are being held at the Phillips Social Hall at the Jewish Community Center and the movies are being shown at the Denver Film Center.
The opening festivities, starting at 5:15 tonight, include a presentation of a MACC Cultural Achievement Award to former MACC art director and the current festival chairwoman, Sharon Habor. A buffet and bar will be available, and live jazz by the Keith Oxman Trio will provide atmosphere for the pre party. The screening of Restoration will begin at 7:30 and 7:45 at the DFC.
For more information on the movies and their times be sure to visit the center's website. Six of the movies are already sold out. And last year all eighteen did, so be sure to get your tickets whilst they are available.
United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton spoke on Intervention at the London Conference on Somalia today.
"Now we must keep the pressure on al-Shabaab so that its grip on Somalia continues to weaken. The UN Security Council’s vote on Wednesday to increase AMISOM’s troop ceiling by nearly half and expand its mandate significantly is an excellent step.
More and more Somalis are seeing the threat that al-Shabaab poses to Somalia’s peace and security, as well as to the peace and security of Somalia’s neighbors. Especially in south-central Somalia, it has turned an already bad situation into a nightmare. It has dragged fathers and sons from their homes, forced them to fight in a hopeless, bloody conflict. It has forced young girls to marry foreign fighters. And when extreme food shortages struck last summer, al-Shabbab mercilessly helped turn those food shortages into a famine by blocking humanitarian assistance and letting children starve. With its recent announcement that it has joined the al-Qaida terror network, al-Shabaab has proven, yet again, it is not on the side of Somalis but on the side of chaos, destruction, and suffering. It has also proven something else as well. It is weakening. Al-Shabaab and al-Qaida have turned to each other because both are embattled and isolated, especially now as the democratic revolutions, underway in many countries, are showing young people who might once have been attracted to extremist groups that a more constructive path is open to them. That is the future; Al-Shabaab and al-Qaida are the past."
Wait! Aren't al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations part of the destabilization that has led to, or taken over the "democratic revolutions"? Yes, the regimes are brutal and need to be done away with, but we have evidence of al-Qaida and their friends in Syria and other countries. The Muslim Brotherhood, that now controls the majority of Egypt, has stated it will not recognize the peace treaty with Israel. There is even evidence of al-Qaida and Hezbollah being in Mexico, and crossing the border, with the full and complete backing of peaceful Iran. But they're "the past" so it's okay to help them in some countries, despite their terrorist past against us. And it's not like al-Qaida could be using those countries as new recruiting grounds or anything.
Secretary Clinton went on to say that,
"the U.S. will look for ways to increase our involvement in Somalia."
Hold up again! According to your boss Obama, we're doing everything we can to pull our military back, and let countries deal with their own problems. Bush was evil for invading Iraq and Afghanistan. Those poor countries weren't run by dictators or terrorists or any such.
Where as Obama is the greatest guy ever for not involving the US military in Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia. O wait... During the Obama administration we've had boots on the ground in all four of those countries, plus others. Yet Obama is the Nobel Peace Prize winning humanitarian, that only puts sanctions against regimes, like Iran and Syria, that massacre their people by the thousands.
Now I'm not necessarily calling for US troops to be going into Iran and Syria, nor necessarily praising Bush. I'm just trying to point out the ridiculousness of the arrogance and two faced talk of the Obama administration. If you're going to invade more countries than Bush, you can't say he was a bad guy for invading any.
But to get back to Somalia, Clinton also announced that,
"the United States is providing an additional $64 million in humanitarian
assistance to the Horn of Africa countries, bringing our emergency
assistance since 2011 up to more than 934 million, including more than
211 million for lifesaving programs in Somalia."
Not to knock Somalia's problems, but did I miss the US recovering from it's own financial crisis. Current national debt is fast approaching $15.4 trillion. Granted compared to that a billion to that part of Africa isn't much, but how is the US to ever get out of debt if it keeps throwing money to the rest of the world? Liberals complain that we spend money on our defense, instead of our own infrastructure, yet then go spend it elsewhere.
I'd like to thank you, Secretary of State Clinton, for making it obvious that all the US's issues are not important anymore. Our security, defense, debt, and lives mean nothing to you or the Obama administration.
On February 23, 1945 United States Marines of the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment of the 5th Division, took the top of Mount Suribachi, on Iwo Jima, and placed an American flag.
Later in the day, other Marines went up with a larger flag. The picture of the second raising has become one of the most memorable of American history, and is the most reproduced picture in all of history.
The island was a crucial air base, only seven hundred miles from Japan, and both sides new the value of it. The Japanese, under General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had spent months making the island into one big underground fortress.
On February 19, 1945 Marines followed three days of air and naval bombardment of the island with invasion. On the island were twenty-two thousand Japanese who no intent of surrender what so ever. On March 26, the last Japanese were wiped out. Only two hundred of the defenders were taken alive. Over six thousand Americans died taking the island, with more than seventeen thousand wounded.
Iran has now reversed it's announcement from Sunday that it would cut off oil sales to England and France, and instead is now offering them long term supply deals. Clearly the sanctions, put into effect by the United States, European Union, and specifically England and France are starting to bite.
Not much more is needed to show how much the sanctions have hurt Iran. With no one else around to purchase the oil, the incoming money is just not being replaced, and Iran is being strangled by it.
Yet to be seen, is whether or not the sanctions will have the desired effect of forcing Iran to stop it's nuclear program. One which it says is purely for purposes of creating energy, but yet is bragged by Tehran to be refining uranium well beyond the percentage that is needed for energy. Israel and the US have led a growing group of the world in declaring that the program is clearly for weapons purposes.
It's been another deadly day for United States troops, with death tolls totaling nine for the day. In Afghanistan two service members were killed by an Afghan soldier, during protests against a Quran burning that happened on Bagram Air Field earlier this week. President Obama has expressed his extreme apologies for the incident, to the Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Somewhere west of the Chocolate Mountains in California, seven Marines were killed when their helicopters collided during night training exercises. The Marines and their aircraft, an AH-1W "Cobra" and UH-1 "Huey" helicopter, were based out of Camp Pendleton.
Over the last year there have been four previous training accidents involving Marines. And a decade ago, almost to the day, a Huey went down in the same area as the collision occurred. The frequency of USMC accidents over the past year, has brought much scrutiny upon the adequacy of their safety measures.
We are definitely being reminded that the military life is not a safe one. The men and women who choose to put their life's on the line for us, do so daily, whether in combat or not. All the more reason we should be grateful to them for doing so.
Last January, we brought you the story of how a local church was hosting Denver's Biggest Bra Drive, in conjunction with Free The Girls. Now CNN, has given them some great press, and told more of their story.
If you haven't heard of Free The Girls, they are a Denver based charity, which takes in donations of gently used bras and then ships them to Mozambique. In Mozambique, they are given to women, who then sell them in the street markets, so that they can get out or stay out of the sex trade.
Many of the women who are involved in the project were sold or forced into slavery and prostitution. The money they receive from selling the bras, not only keeps them free, but also allows them to purchase their own homes, and raise their families.
Free The Girls has seen massive growth, beyond their expectations since they began. They hope to soon be able to spread into other countries as well. One of their biggest struggles now, is not gathering donations of bras, but in shipping them to Mozambique, as the postage fees are quite expensive. If you'd like to help them, feel free to visit their website and donate or you can also help by purchasing T-shirts from their shop.
Nevada has yet another first on it's list. It now is the first state to form a legal code for autonomous cars. That's right, within the next couple of years, Nevada roads will be driven legally on by self driving cars.
The state has partnered with Google, car manufacturers, testing
professionals, insurance companies, universities and law enforcement
agencies to develop the regulations. Nevada expects to gain economically from the sales of the cars, and used that as a big reason to push the laws through.
There are the obvious safety concerns, though that is why so much time and effort is being put into the vehicles before mass production. But if, or now apparently when, they do start being mass produced, how long til President Obama begins complaining about jobs being taken from chauffeurs, as he has in the past about ATMs taking jobs from bankers.
At 8,000 feet, it's likely the highest Starbucks in the world, but that's not what is getting it attention. This location is the first one with a ski through window, and is not accessible by car at all.
Squaw Valley Ski Resort, which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics, pulled off the advertising coup, in scoring the store. Near the top of the resort's Funitel lift, it is open from nine am to four pm, making it one of the latest opening Starbucks as well.
It is very unlikely to remain as the only ski through Starbucks, for long. Already resorts around the world are vying for one of their own. Colorado ones, have especially expressed their jealousy, and their campaigns have begun to be the one to claim the second such location.
One of the latest products to hit markets is called AeroShot. It is an inhaler the size of a lip stick container, that gives the user a 100 milligram dose of caffeine. Claiming to be breathable energy, it is but the latest in the market of ways to boost your energy levels.
The market is already loaded with natural, organic, and synthetic forms of energy boosters. From a cup of coffee or tea it has spread past pills or other energy drinks, to recently include tongue strips as well. Now this inhaler form is finding itself selling out of the locations that do sell it.
Available in New York, Massachusetts, and France AeroShot has found itself under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration. AeroShot gained the FDA's notice due to it's being marketed as a party enhancer. The FDA worries what the effects could be of taking caffeine in such a way, and has suggested that it could be harmful to minors. The creator say it is completely safe, but does state that the marketing is under consideration of redesign.
On February 20, 1962, John Glenn orbited the earth in Friendship 7. In what was then an amazing feat of technology, Glenn in his spacecraft orbited the earth three times in five hours.
The mission was not without danger. The Atlas rocket type, which launched him to fame, had exploded many times on the pad. And during the orbits, the heat shield began signalling failure. Luckily for Glenn, it held and he survived the reentry.
He was instantly a hero for being the first American to do so. The Kennedy administration quietly had NASA block him from further space travel, as they did not wish to risk him. But in 1998, at the age of seventy-seven, he made it happen, after which he was banned from it by his wife of sixty-nine years.
Glenn, a long time Senator for Ohio, ran for President in 1984, without success. He mourns that his United States no longer mounts it's own space missions. In which he is not alone, Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon, also rails against that, even writing on why we should be heading towards Mars.
Out recently on DVD is The Count of Monte Cristo, the
epic and much-filmed story of a wrongly imprisoned man’s plan for revenge,
which he dispenses in great doses and in grand fashion after gaining possession
of a prison mates’ fortune. This is the best classic (1934) version of the
tale, efficient and simply structured with a great performance by Robert Donat,
a perfectly sensitive, charming and intellectual style of swashbuckler.
An epic of this genre in terms of screen chemistry and personality
is on TCM Tuesday 3:45pm: Captain Blood. As swashbucklers go (and there were
many great ones, both movies and men) Errol Flynn probably ranks highest, and figuring
in to that assessment was great material like this and a perfect co-star in
Olivia DeHavilland, a maiden fair and fiery for any era. After the success of the
aforementioned The Count of Monte Cristo, Robert Donat was meant for Captain
Blood but turned it down, leaving the way clear for a new discovery, the
impossibly vital, lively and roguishly charming Flynn, who up till that point
just had the odd bit part. He was doing the screen tests along with the
actresses trying out for the movie, when the studio spotted the undeniable and
powerful chemistry between him and another newcomer, DeHavilland. What Warner’s
and cinematic fate hath brought together the public ate up and demanded more of;
the glorious pair were one of the screen’s greatest, most magnetic and
captivating couples and went on to make eight films together.
Also new to DVD is The Man in the Iron Mask with Louis Hayward,
Joan Bennett. Go way back in time, beyond the version you might have seen with
Leo DiCaprio, or if you’re of another generation, the one with Richard
Chamberlain, back, back, to 1939 and this version of the Alexandre Dumas story
directed by the great James Whale (Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein,
Showboat). If you’ve seen the remakes you know about the twin brothers, one the
King of France and the other unaware of his shared birthright, and the older Three
Musketeers (plus a great performance by Warren William as their leader). Fun
and lively with a great cast and super action scenes.
On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed
Executive Order 9066. The order called for the internment of anyone of
Japanese descent, who was living on the west coast, of the United
States, to camps elsewhere in the US. These camps were setup to prevent
any possible Japanese spying, by these people.
Many of them, had never seen Japan, and
had been born in the States. A lot of the children did not even speak
any Japanese. Their citizenship meant nothing to the government, which
used public fears over invasion as an excuse for the relocations.
Forced
from their homes, many times without even being allowed to take anything
but a suitcase of clothes for an entire family. By the time the war was
over, those who went back to their homes found that their houses and
business had been sold out from under them, without a cent being given
to them for it.
When
given the chance, many of the men of age and health joined the Army, in
units such as the 442 Regiment. These Japanese American fought in the European theater, and were highly decorated.
Order 9066 and it's aftermath are one of the darkest days in
American history. But from out of it came the greatness of those who had
even greater obstacles to overcome, to be American. They shouldn't have had to earn it, but they did and wore it proudly.
The dead are continuing to pile up in Syria, as once again security forces targeted funerals by opening fire on them. Most of the country faces massacre any time they come out in groups, except during prayers. Yet, the protests continue even as tanks appear in more and more of the Syrian cities.
Armed resistance is growing, as some troops defect when ordered to shoot into unarmed crowds. But this is very far from a civil war. It is simply just too one sided of a conflict. Nor is it contained within Syria's borders. Last Sunday saw the violence spread to Syrian gangs in Lebanon.
Most of the world has enacted sanctions upon the government for it's violent ways. But the United Nations have been unable to pass international ones, due to vetoes from Russia and China. Last week the Arab League called for a joint mission with UN peacekeepers, to enforce peace in Syria. Russia was quick to pledge a veto of that as well.
Officials, in the United States defense department, have confirmed that it is flying drones over Syria, in hopes that the images they capture will put greater pressure on the world, to join them in pressuring President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
Estimates of the death toll in the conflict, which started last year, range from Syrian government reports of just over a thousand to the UN's estimate of 5,000. Syrian activists say near 8,500. As the activists only really count their dead, and the government mostly counts only it's own as well, the actual number could very well be over 10,000.
Iranian warships have once again entered the Mediterranean Sea, and gone on to dock in Tartous, Syria, where Russia has sent ships, as well. Last February, was the first time since the Islamic Revolution, in 1979, that Iran's navy has done so. The move has been stated by Iranian state TV to be of "extreme worry for zionist forces", yet at the same time stating the ships are on a “message of peace".
Israel was quick to declare it a "provocative act", and denounce it as a "power play" by Iran. The Israeli government also warned Iran to keep the ships away for their coast, or the ships would be considered hostile.
Iran accompanied the move by announcing that they are cutting off oil exports to the United Kingdom and France. Though what they think this will accomplish remains to be seen, as both countries had led the European Union to enact sanctions against Iran. The power of the sanctions has been being felt throughout Iran. The United States, China, and the majority of the world have been involved in the sanctions as well. Only Russia's vetoes have kept the United Nations from joining in.
On February 17, 2012, a Muslim extremist was arrested attempting to bomb the U.S. Capitol. It wasn't your typical white, anti-contraception, Christian-Conservative male that we are used to seeing attempt a suicide mission on a U.S. landmark or military base. Fox News Reports:
Authorities arrested and charged Friday a Virginia man allegedly on his way to the U.S. Capitol for what he thought would be a suicide attack on one of the nation's most symbolic landmarks
The federal criminal complaint against the suspect identifies him as Amine El Khalifi, a 29-year-old Moroccan citizen who has been living in the United States illegally since 1999 after his visa expired. He was nabbed following a lengthy investigation by the FBI, initiated after he allegedly expressed interest in conducting an attack. Court documents say he came onto the radar screen in early December after he told an undercover agent about an earlier plan to bomb a northern Virginia building.
I suppose It's not all that surprising that a Muslim, here illegally, would attempt to harm Americans. It seems every few months there is some sort of thwarted attempt to attack the U.S. by a person or persons that have a connection with the peace-loving religion of Islam. I mean, if über-Conservative Mitt Romney says they're peace-loving, they must be. Right?
What was surprising however, was the post I came across this morning from the disgraceful, Trig Palin obsessed website called Wonkette. You haven't heard of them? No worries, they probably have fewer readers than Keith Olbermann has viewers on that TV channel your remote probably doesn't go up to.
In a super-neato sting operation today, the FBI totally intercepted a Muslim Terrorist wearing a suicide bomb vest en route to the Capitol, to blow it up.
You can almost sense his contempt for the FBI in his first five words of the piece. But wait... mom hasn't disconnected his modem yet...
Sucker! Caught you! Go eat an Abortionplex-sized bag of dicks, guy! (But really, thank you for taking all of the pretend bombs our agents gave you and going with them on field trips to test explosives and all the other things we tricked you into doing so we could arrest you.)
The FBI is masterful when it comes to thwarting their own baroque terrorist plots in dramatic fashion at the very last minute, just as their scripts instruct them to do. The Feds foundtoday’s lucky arrestee, a 29-year-old Moroccan, about a year ago and thought, Sure, this one looks Muslim enough to me, he’ll do… now let’s start brainstorming a plot and getting him all the fake bombs and training and support he needs so we can arrest him in a year.
So, an illegal alien who also happens to be a peace-loving Muslim was interested in bombing a Virginia building. The FBI, when obtaining this information, pursued him through legal actions and thwarted the attack on the Capitol, preventing the potential loss of lives by not allowing him access to "real" bombs.
Jim continues his groundbreaking analysis and journalism only the Onion could make look good;
...All in all, another magnificent production — four stars. Will this be the year that the FBI *finally* wins that Best Director statuette it’s coveted for so long? Ugh, let’s not get into studio politics…
Uh oh! Is the fake terrorist scaring you, teevee flaphead?
Children are so impressionable.
I guess its not enough for Jim, or Wonkette for that matter (just a reminder of the website name in case you had his occupation confused with that of little orange men stirring chocolate and singing childhood nursery rhymes) that the FBI prevented a terrorist from taking peoples lives.
I'm not sure if Mr. Newell would've been content with the sting had the FBI provided Amine El Khalifi with actual explosives, or if lives had been lost. I do know, however, that that this attitude displayed by the extreme Left is destructive to our country and It's security.
Also, Mr. Newell, you do know that law enforcement portrays themselves as minors when nabbing sexual pedophiles? Right? I suppose that you believe law enforcement "tricked them into doing that so we could arrest them"
During the Trilateral Talks between, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran; Asif Ali Zardari, leader of Pakistan, pledged to support Iran if it was attacked. This marks the second country to announce such a move. A month ago, to the day, Russia announced that any attack on Iran would be considered an attack on Moscow.
An attack on Iran is expected from Israel, and possibly the United States and the European Union as well, if Iran does not cease their nuclear program. Iran claims the program is for energy purposes, but then brags about refining uranium well beyond what is needed for energy, closing ever more so upon weapons grade. Which is exactly what Israel, the US and EU have accused Iran of, seeking nuclear weapons.
So far sanctions, have been unable to convince Iran to stop, despite the fact that the effects of them are being severely felt. Even China has joined the majority of the world on placing them against the belligerent nation. Russia, however, has vetoed every proposal by the United Nations to place international sanctions on Iran.
Tensions have remained high due to Iran's continued threats to close the Strait of Hormuz. Assassinations of Iranian scientists, have not helped the matter either. Just this week attacks on Israeli embassy staff members, and the capture of Iranian bomb makers in Thailand, added even more fuel to the fateful heading.
This also marks further trouble between the US and Pakistan. Formerly allies in the war against the Taliban, Pakistan is at the conference partially to make a separate peace. The alliance has been falling apart lately as the government and military of Pakistan keep finding themselves at odds, yet the US stayed out of it when the President asked for help after Osama bin Laden was found in Pakistan. China however, has been offering at least an ear to Zardari's troubles.
Hall of fame catcher Gary Carter succumbed to brain cancer Thursday afternoon, at the age of 57. Remembered for his non stop love of the game, he played nineteen years for four teams. The New York Mets, Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers all were lucky enough to have them on their teams during his career. He helped the Mets to a World Series win, and the Expos to their only playoff berth ever.
An 11-time All Star, he finished his career with a .262 average, 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs. Twice he took home MVP for the All Star game, and is the only player to have a two-homer performance in both an All-Star Game and a World Series game. He also holds the record for most games caught in the NL.
"He is in heaven and has reunited with his mom and dad. I believe with
all my heart that dad had a STANDING OVATION as he walked through the
gates of heaven to be with Jesus," Carter's daughter, Kimmy Bloemers, wrote on the family website.
Civvers have been rejoicing as Thursday, 2KGames announced the first real expansion of Civilization V. Gods and Kings adds "27 new units, 13 new buildings, 9 new wonders, and 9 new playable
civilizations. Among the new civilizations are the Netherlands (William
I, Prince of Orange), the Celts (Boudicca), and the Mayans (Pacal the
Great)."
It will also host a brand new combat system, where the AI should be even more intelligent. It's armies should be more balanced, forcing human players to think more. Also look for melee naval units.
Favourites from Civ 4, are returning as well, though reworked to show they belong in 5. Religions are indeed back, though this time they are customizable, to a degree. Espionage has returned as well, with spies being able to do the usual things, as well as having abilities never before seen in any Civ, including ranks of their own.
With the addition of religion, of course they had to add religious city states. Mercantile city states are also being introduced. The inclusion of espionage will have effects on relations with city states, and the quest system has been vastly expanded, which also helpfully reduces the amount of gold needed to spend on them.
Lastly mentioned, but surely not the last bit of the expansion, there are three new scenarios that come with it. You can now play "the fall of Rome, explore the medieval era, and a unique scenario in a Victorian science-fiction setting."
Exciting news that will surely lead to even more One More Turn Syndrome issues for games lucky enough to be known as civvers.
Just a couple of weeks ago in Raeford, North Carolina, a school confiscated a preschool girls lunch because they felt it was "not nutritious", replacing her homemade turkey sandwich with chicken meat nuggets. h/t @BBUHM at TORARADICAL.com
UPDATE: A second mother, Diane Zambrano, says her 4-year-old daughter, Jazlyn, in the same West Hoke Elementary School class as the little girl whose lunch gained national attention earlier this week, had her lunch of a cheese and salami sandwich on wheat replaced last month with nuggets, sweet potato, bread, and milk. via The Blaze, 2/17/12
UPDATE 3/7/12: The teacher who replaced the child's lunch, Ms. Maynor, has beensuspendedindefinitely. However, the policy that required Ms. Maynor to seize the girls lunch has not been changed.
Last week, in Lansing, Michigan, during a legislative hearing at the state capitol, Debbie Squires, the associate director of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association, explained to the House Education Committee why her association opposed allowing more online schools. “Educators go through education for a reason,” Squires said. “They are the people who know best about how to serve children. That’s not necessarily true of an individual resident. I’m not saying they don’t want the best for their children, but they may not know what actually is best from an education standpoint.”
As the Education Action Group at Big Government rightfully points out, Squires’ comments are noteworthy because they give parents and citizens a window into the minds of the nation’s self-proclaimed education experts. Despite their talk of “collaborating” with parents to reform public education, the establishment honestly believes that parents are too ignorant and ill-informed to choose the best learning option for their child. Not only that, but they believe charter schools and cyber schools are consuming tax dollars that rightfully belong to the government-run public schools. They argue that the only thing preventing traditional public schools from producing amazing student results is a lack of money.
The Education Action Group also points out, that despite an 82.5% increase per pupil, the U.S. Department of Education has been on a consistent academic decline. The facts suggest otherwise. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Services, per pupil spending increased by 82.5 percent – in constant dollars – from the 1980-81 school year to the 2008-09 school year. What did taxpayers get in return for their increased investment? From 1980 to 2010, Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) scores in critical reading dropped one point (from 502 to 501), while the average math SAT score increased a meager 24 points (492 to 516). (A score of 500 is considered to be average.)
The Left in our country, from the top down, continue to drain our freedoms in the name of 'compassion'. They believe that we the people aren't capable of making the best decisions for our lives, and whether their policies or government forced legislation causes harm or takes away our individual liberties, as long as the good intentions are there... well, that's all that matters.
As Bob Beckel, liberal contributor to Fox News' The Five, said on January 18th 2012; “We liberals made a terrible mistake going back 30 years ago. We made a dependent society because we thought we were doing the right thing. We had things like public housing and we had welfare payments and all that bred dependency, and it was our responsibility, we did it for the right reasons, we need to change that. But the way you change it is not to say that it’s an opportunity society alone that’s gonna do it. It’s gonna require some government intervention. That’s our point.”
Right. Government caused the problem, so let's just trust the government to solve it.
Read the studies, look at the facts, keep an open mind, do not base your opinion on your beliefs about abortion and determine for yourself: Is there a link between abortions and breast cancer? What is your opinion? All comments welcome. Also, if anyone has links to other, independent studies, I'd be interested in seeing them.
The recent events of the Susan G. Koman Foundation pulling and then renewing support for Planned Parenthood has brought up, once again, the issue of “does Abortion increase the risk of breast cancer?”
As a nurse, I was interested to know the facts. It seems that there are a lot of studies out there with differing viewpoints. Both sides use the studies that support their views as “proof” one way or the other. The interpretation of the studies has been so politicized, that it is difficult to determine if there is a connection or not.
This topic is coming up again because of the Koman Foundation’s monetary support of Planned Parenthood. If there is a connection between abortion and breast cancer how could the Koman Foundation, whose main goal is eradication of breast cancer, support an organization who’s main focus is abortion? That is the issue, but both organizations have stated that they believe there is no link between abortions and breast cancer.
But why should the Koman foundation be funding Planned Parenthood? What does Planned Parenthood have to do with breast cancer? According to both the Koman Foundation and Planned Parenthood the funding is for breast cancer screenings. In my opinion Planned Parenthood is not the best use of this money and the Koman Foundation would be better able to provide breast screenings more cost effectively if they removed the middle man. This opinion has nothing to do with Planned Parenthood’s abortions, but rather it makes better business sense. It seems that the Koman Foundation is bending over backward to accommodate Planned Parenthood and I find their connection suspect. It seems, to me, that there must be something more going on. In order to do justice to the topic, I am eliminating both the Koman Foundation and Planned Parenthood from the discussion.
Back to the topic of abortion and breast cancer. I have looked over many studies, and there are studies to support both sides.
First, let me start by saying that I am pro-life. I do not believe in abortion and I believe that abortion is the killing of a baby. In conversations I have never used the alleged abortion/breast cancer link to support my belief. I do not need there to be a link between abortion and breast cancer for me to be pro-life. To me, the killing of an unborn baby is wrong, plain and simple. I have approached the topic with an open mind and have tried to present both sides fairly.
Those who support the “no-connection” theory, and that it has been proven debunked, will show you these from The National Cancer Institute based on a 2004 report of a 2003 workshop: "Risks of Abortion and Miscarriage" and "Causes of Cancer".
They include the results from a wide variety of studies and have been determined to be definitive proof by those who believe there is no connection. I have found that almost all of those who support the "no-connection" theory reference either this fact sheet or the conference that reported the study that this fact sheet is based on.
The American Cancer Society also links back to the above information from the National Cancer Institute report and they make the conclusion: "At this time, the scientific evidence does not support the notion that abortion of any kind raises the risk of breast cancer or any other type of cancer."
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynocologists (ACOG) also refers to the 2003 workshop and the above information. They however preface the information with the following statement: "This document reflects emerging clinical and scientific advances as of the date issued and is subject to change. The information should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed."
On the other side of the debate is Dr. Joel Brind who counters in this 2005 article, in the “Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons”, that there was reporting bias in the 2003 workshop and subsequent 2004 report.
Dr. Brind has also mentioned that during the 2004 seminar, conflicting viewpoints were not allowed to be presented. In essence he is saying that, instead of investigation all data and letting the data dictate if the theory is true, they found data to support their theory and disregarded the rest. In some cases they may have even manipulated the studies to fit the theory.
This video of Dr. Brind is from the “Life Matters” program, again politicizing the issue.
It is difficult to look at all of these and not say they are biased. Each side has an agenda. On one side are the pro-abortionists wanting to prove that there is no increased risk of abortion and breast cancer, and then the pro-life side that wants to use the link as additional ammunition against abortion.
I do need to point out that the video’s that feature Dr. Brind give logical thought as to WHY there is a risk whereas the other studies simply say there is no link, end of story. Also Dr. Brind, while not the only one supporting the connection, is the most vocal. There are medical groups that support the connection theory, as well. Again, this list is published by abortion/breast cancer coalition.
So who do you believe?
I have done some research and came across this article from 2010, which is peer reviewed, but no one has yet used it as a weapon in this abortion/breast cancer link war. "Radiological Diagnostics of Frequent Interruption of Pregnancy as a Primary Factor of Breast Carcinomas." The conclusion of this study is that “Based on the researches done for the purposes of this project, we concluded that artificial interruption of pregnancy is one of the numerous causes (factors) of breast cancer arising.” This study does not appear to have any bias and does not seem to have been sponsored by any group.
In addition, the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute believes there is a link between abortion and breast cancer.
Here is the text from a pamphlet by the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute:
Abortion & Breast Cancer: Is there a Link? What is the Truth Behind the Controversy
How Does the Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer Work?
Two principles account for the link:
1. Estrogen Exposure
2. Breast Lobule Formation
Estrogen Exposure
As soon as conception occurs and even before implantation in the uterus, the embryo secretes a hormone, hCG (Human chorianic gonadotropin), which causes the mother’s ovaries to produce more estrogen and progesterone. This causes the mother’s breasts to become sore and tender.
In a viable pregnancy, estrogen levels increase 2,000% by the end of the 1st trimester. This surge in hormones causes the breasts to grow by making more Type 1 & 2 lobules where cancers can start. The breast doubles in volume by 20 weeks.
Breast Lobule Formation
•After 32 weeks of pregnancy, the Type 1 and 2 lobules mature into Type 3 and 4 lobules in preparation for breast feeding.
•If the pregnancy ends by elective abortion, the increase in numbers of Type 1 and 2 lobules formed in the first two trimesters provide more places for cancers to start, increasing risk.
•Women who never carry a pregnancy beyond 32 weeks never fully mature their breast tissue and have increased risk.
•Women who delay full-term pregnancy past age 30 have a 90% higher risk of breast cancer than those who carry a pregnancy to term by age 20.
A Woman’s Choice
A woman who chooses induced abortion of her first pregnancy:
•Denies herself the risk reduction of a full-term pregnancy.
•May never have children—a risk for breast cancer.
•Or, delay a full-term pregnancy which increases her risk of premenopausal breast cancer by 5% per year delayed after age 20.
A woman who chooses induced abortion after she has had a child:
•Denies herself a further 10% reduction in risk by another full-term pregnancy.
•Will have increased the number of Type 1 & Type 2 lobules where cancers start in her breast.
Here is a video that explains why it is believed that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer but it also has a segment where Dr. Brind’s explains about studies and how they should be done. This video is put out by an organization that supports the abortion/breast cancer link.
Note: the 2007 study that is mentioned in the video, cames after the 2004 report that supposedly “debunks” the theory.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Research Analysis, My Opinion:
Being that there are such conflicting reports, I cannot state for certain that there is not an abortion/breast cancer link. If you compare the evidence from one side or the other, the side supporting the link has presented a much better case with better references. The National Cancer Institute's fact sheet that everyone else seems to reference is lacking the information department. They make a list of findings, "studies show," but really no reference to the studies upon which those findings are based.
The Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, on the other hand, seems to believe there is a connection as addressed in their pamphlet.
In addition, if you remove all of the previous studies that have been biasedly used and focus on the independent study of 2010, there seems to be more proof that there is a link than there is not. If there is a link and there is a cover up, would those involved in the cover up be guilty of negligence? Would they not be criminally liable for withholding pertinent information from those receiving abortions? It is unlikely there will be a conclusion to this debate anytime in the near future. Though in my mind it seems there is, indeed, a connection between abortion and an increased risk for breast cancer.
