Good morning.

1. Two books to note, one from here on a mix of faith and humor from Moscow.
2. And for fans of Sewer, Gas and Electric … Matt Ruff has a new book. So get it and read it.
3. About that “worst case” Iran  straw man scenario.
4. When you believe spending and income need not match … and people get too used to sucking on the government teat.
5. Either they (requiring viewing ultrasounds and requiring Catholic hospitals provide free contraception) are both totalitarian or neither are.
6. Speaking of which, an atheist libertarian is not impressed.
7. Speaking of that topic, Mr Obama’s so-called compromise. Frankly, calling that a compromise is an outright lie.
8. Also see this pdf, on this topic you’ll see the left whacking lots of straw men in this kerfuffle. That pdf links to some actual arguments, which alas you will not see mentioned by any Congressional or White House defense of their policy.
9. Al Qaeda merger.
10. Suicide and legality.
11. Of big “O” and calculus.
12. To avoid spoilage? Hmm. One recipe for great bacon is to take frozen bacon, fry it directly without thawing on a very low heat for a long time until crisp. It will melt in your mouth (hint: this is a good thing taste-wise).
13. Bike tricks (done by the bike not so much by the rider).
14. Waterboarding and Mr Washington.
15. Are the tea party and ows the nucleus of something that will emerge in decades?
16. Lots of links to this, Himalayan non-warming.
17. Our future in adventures in state medicine.
18. Not likely.
19. And it’s a bad thing.
20. What is tradition? (hint: not just a song in Fiddler).

The HHS Mandate Edition

Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate
Read the entire post,

1.The mandate does not exempt Catholic charities, schools, universities, or hospitals.

2.The mandate forces these institutions and others, against their conscience, to pay for things they consider immoral.

3.The mandate forces coverage of sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs and devices as well as contraception.

4.Catholics of all political persuasions are unified in their opposition to the mandate

5.Many other religious and secular people and groups have spoken out strongly against the mandate.

6.The federal mandate is much stricter than existing state mandates.

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Message from Chuck Colson
If the administration does not back down, religious liberty—as clearly articulated in the Constitution and in court cases—will be gravely impaired. And your organization, like mine, will face the question of civil disobedience.

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Manhattan Declaration – Sign it

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Tightening the Screws
From the article,

Perhaps the Government’s own attempt to kick this can down the road until after the elections will be cited as evidence. In its announcement of January 20, 2012, HHS stated that “birth control… is the most commonly taken drug in America by young and middle-aged women.” If contraception is already the most commonly taken drug in America, then it seems hardly necessary to shove a requirement to provide it down the throat of the Catholic Church and other religious organizations.

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National Petition to Stop HHS Mandate – Sign it

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Obama Tries to Spin His Way Out
From Mere Comments,

Abstinence for 15-year-olds is considered impossible–how in the world can they possibly control themselves? But obesity is something we can fix by teaching them to control their appetites for certain foods and eating veggies. What a country.