Humor writer Dave Barry compiled a list of things it took him 50 years to learn. I have selected a handful of Barry’s observations.
1. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight-savings time.
2. The most powerful force in the universe is gossip.
3. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background,is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.
4. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
5. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
6. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.
I am also a slow learner. But one thing I have learned in my journey is that every dad leaves a legacy. The only question is whether that legacy will be good, bad, or indifferent. Over the next few days I am going to write about some things I have learned about leaving a legacy that, hopefully, is ...   more »

A national anti-abortion group is pushing legislation in U.S. states aimed at making sure pregnant women and girls view sonograms before having abortions, hoping that what they see will persuade them against having the procedure.
Such proposals have gained little attention so far from lawmakers in Kansas or Missouri. But the National Right to Life Committee says 11 states have enacted laws requiring abortion providers to tell patients they have the right to see an ultrasound image of the embryo or fetus they are carrying.
Right to Life had its annual, three-day convention in Kansas City this week, attracting more than 1,000 leaders of local and state anti-abortion groups from across the nation. Mary Balch, director of the group's state legislative efforts, predicted that ultrasound legislation will be a growing trend.
"We believe the more information a woman has about the development of a child, the more likely she is to choose life," Balch said during an interview.
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By ERIC GORSKI
SAN ANTONIO --Folded into the Rev. Frank Page's wallet is a yellow scrap of paper with the date and time he is to speak with yet another Republican candidate for the White House.
He already has visited one GOP front-runner over breakfast at a country club and met another at the headquarters of a car dealership in his home state.
The South Carolina pastor seems taken aback by the attention, but he shouldn't be: He leads a large congregation in a state with an early primary and is president of the 16.3 million-strong Southern Baptist Convention, perhaps the largest single bloc of evangelical voters and a must-have Republican constituency.
Page, in an interview at his denomination's annual meeting here last week, said he offers his thoughts about salvation to candidates but never an endorsement. And he talks to Democrats, too. He sees the political courtship as a duty: The nation's leaders need to hear a Christian viewpoint, he believes.
But some Southern Baptists would rather stay out of politics altogether. A small but vocal number of pastors believe the denomination is too cozy with Republicans and too political in general. By flirting with the line separating good ...   more »

The eighth time was a charm for Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., when the House passed his amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill yesterday to withhold federal emergency-services funding from "sanctuary cities" that protect illegal aliens.
The 234-to-189 tally included 50 Democrats voting in favor.
"The issue has come to fruition," Tancredo told the Rocky Mountain News. "The people of the country really have spoken. It's a really good indicator of just how much closer to the people the House is than the Senate is."
Tancredo has offered the similar amendments at least seven times since 2004 and all have failed, some by wide margins.
The amendment passed yesterday does not include a definition of "sanctuary city." The Homeland Security appropriations bill now goes to the Senate.  
Known for his fierce opposition to illegal immigration and the failure of the federal government to secure U.S. borders, Tancredo has focused particular criticism on local governments across the country that have declared themselves sanctuary cities, refusing in varying degrees to allow law enforcement and city personnel to inquire about individuals' legal status.
As WND reported, Tancredo cited Miami, a sanctuary city, when criticizing President Bush's views on immigration.
"People ...   more »