The world has endured an almost mind-numbing series of shocks in recent weeks, from the unprecedented swarm of tornadoes across the American Midwest to the death and destruction wrought by Cyclone Nargis as it tore a path through Myanmar, better known as Burma.
There were 368 documented tornadoes in the U.S. in January and February of this year, shattering the previous record of 243 over that two-month period, set in 1999. February's total of 232 tornadoes also shattered previous records.
Cyclone Nargis ripped Burma apart, killing at least 128,000, according to Red Cross estimates, and creating some 2.5 million refugees.
Al Gore was quick to blame global warming. In an interview on NPR to plug his appropriately named book on global warming, "Assault on Reason," he told host Terry Gross: "And as we're talking today, Terry, the death count in Myanmar from the cyclone that hit there yesterday has been rising from 15,000 to way on up there to much higher numbers now being speculated. . … And last year a catastrophic storm last fall hit Bangladesh. The year before, the strongest cyclone in more than 50 years hit China – and we're seeing consequences that scientists have long predicted ...   more »

Jeff Johnson -
A Texas middle-school principal widely criticized for forcing students to sit through a pro-Islam presentation without parents' knowledge or permission has been hired by the Houston Independent School District.
As OneNewsNow reported in June, nearly 900 students at Texas' Friendswood Junior High were required to attend a pro-Islam lecture by two representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The program presented Islamic opinion on religious issues as fact, and included directions on how to practice Muslim religious rituals. After parents and area Christian pastors complained, Principal Robin Lowe was reassigned to another position (see related article).  Now Lowe has been hired as principal of the larger Pershing Middle School in Houston.
Pastor Dave Welch, executive director of the Houston Area Pastor Council, was among those who complained initially about the pro-Islam lecture. He says he is not surprised by this latest development. 
"Frankly, the move of reassignment was simply a way to keep [Lowe's] record clear from any disciplinary action while she was looking for another position," says Welch. "I didn't doubt that that was probably the direction it was going to go. I think, however, clearly the objective was to have some consequences for her actions ...   more »

Allie Martin -
 spokesman for McDonald's restaurants says those who oppose same-sex "marriage" are motivated by hate.
Earlier this month, the American Family Association (AFA) called for a boycott of the hamburger giant because of the company's promotion of the homosexual agenda. The AFA took issue with McDonald's refusal to remain neutral in the culture war.
But in a recent Washington Post article, McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman suggested that those who oppose same-sex "marriage" are motivated by hate. However, AFA Founder Don Wildmon disagrees and says McDonald's has bought into rhetoric used by homosexual activists.
"They've said for years and years that if you oppose their lifestyle, then you are a hateful person," notes Wildmon. "We've given McDonald's ample opportunity to stop supporting the homosexual agenda. They have said in no uncertain terms that they are going to go on supporting the homosexual groups and helping the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce go before Congress and lobby for a national right to marry," he points out.
Wildmon adds that most people are unaware of McDonald's cooperation with homosexual activist groups. "All they see is Ronald McDonald and the kids playing," he continues. "We're asking people to tell your ...   more »