Keywords by David Yonke

A hearing scheduled January 22 for Gerald Robinson could set the stage for the Toledo priest's legal efforts to have his murder conviction overturned.
There has been so many court motions filed in the case that Judge Gene Zmuda scheduled the hearing to determine whether to grant an evidentiary hearing.
Robinson will be present by video. You can read my article about the hearing here.
Meanwhile, I noticed that the first possible date for Robinson's parole hearing has jumped ahead five years from previous listings on the state's website. It used to be in March 2021, and now it's listed as March 2016. I don't know the reason for the change but plan to check on that.

The Christmas Wars are going strong in 2009 and here's one example. I think it's interesting that this homemade "Merry Christmas" sign has been displayed for about 50 years without complaint. But the times, they are a-changing. -- David

'Merry Christmas' sign ordered taken down in Massachussetts

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) — An annual "Merry Christmas" sign on a North Andover fire station has been ordered removed.

Town officials told firefighters last week to take down the homemade sign after they said people complained.

Fire Chief William Martineau said Monday that the sign was made by firefighters about 50 years ago and never had been an issue before.

The order comes a week after selectmen voted to allow a menorah display on the town common for only one day instead of all eight days of Hanukkah. They said a new town common policy only allows displays to stay up for one day, no matter what they are.

Town Manager Mark Rees said the town's public buildings should not be displaying things specific to a particular religion.

Susan Boyle makes chart history with No.1 debut

NEW YORK (AP) — Move over Beyonce. Step aside Taylor Swift. There’s a new queen of pop, and her name is Susan Boyle.
The British talent contestant-turned-singing sensation sold just over 700,000 copies of her debut album, “I Dreamed a Dream,” debuting at No. 1. Her record label, Columbia Records, says that not only gives her the best first week sales of 2009, but also the best-selling album debut by a woman in the Billboard SoundScan era.
It’s been a whirlwind year for the 47-year-old Boyle, who became an instant star when she appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent.”

The Fox News report below shows what many of us suspected from the start: It was obvious from the initial news reports about Woods' 2:20 a.m. accident that he was trying to hide something. Now it's all coming out and unfortunately it's not a very pleasant story.
Away from the golf course, Tiger Woods is a mere mortal, but he's also one of the most successful, recognizable, and richest people in sports.
Someone at his level of fame and fortune should know there are few secrets that won't eventually be uncovered.
My gut feeling is that Woods' wife chased him down the driveway and smashed his car's windows with a golf club because she was distraught -- not because she was trying to rescue him from the wrecked car. After all, the crash was at such a low impact that the airbags didn't even deploy.
This is another example showing that money, fame and worldly success do not necessarily bring happiness. -- David

Woods: I've let my family down

by FOXSports.com

Tiger Woods said he let his family down with transgressions he regrets "with all of my heart," and that he will deal with his personal life behind closed doors.

His statement Wednesday follows a cover story in Us Weekly magazine that reports a Los Angeles cocktail waitress claims she had a 31-month affair with the world's No. 1 golfer.

"I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves," Woods said on his Web site. "I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone."

The cocktail waitress, Jaimee Grubbs, told the magazine she met Woods at a Las Vegas nightclub the week after the 2007 Masters — two months before Woods' wife, Elin, gave birth to their first child. Grubbs claims to have proof in 300 text messages.

About three hours before Woods' statement, the magazine published what it said was a voicemail — provided by Grubbs — that Woods left her phone on Nov. 24, three days before his middle-of-the-night car crash outside his home in Florida.

Woods did not offer details of any alleged relationship.

"I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves," Woods said. "For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology."

Woods has been subjected to more media scrutiny over the last week than when he first won the Masters in 1997 and set off the first wave of Tigermania. He has spoken only three times through his Web site, although this was his longest posting.

"Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means," Woods said. "For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives."

And he continued to say accounts that physical violence played a role in his Friday morning car crash were "utterly false and malicious."

"Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect," he wrote.

His statement came one day after the Florida Highway Patrol closed its investigation into the accident — without Woods ever speaking to state troopers. He was charged with careless driving, which carries a $164 fine and four points on his driving record.

A final report on the accident, released Wednesday, shows he caused $3,200 in damage to property other than his SUV.

The six-page report by the Florida Highway Patrol also included 105 photos of the accident scene. It estimated damage to a fire hydrant Woods struck at $3,000, and a tree his vehicle hit at about $200.

The story soon shifted from a patrol investigation to sordid allegations into his personal life.

In the voicemail released by the magazine, a man says to Grubbs:

"Hey, it's, uh, it's Tiger. I need you to do me a huge favor. Um, can you please, uh, take your name off your phone. My wife went through my phone. And, uh, may be calling you. If you can, please take your name off that and, um, and what do you call it just have it as a number on the voicemail, just have it as your telephone number. That's it, OK. You gotta do this for me. Huge. Quickly. All right. Bye."

The Associated Press could not confirm Woods was the caller.

Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, did not immediately return an e-mail requesting comment.

An AP reporter went to a residence in Escondido, California, seeking comment from Grubbs. A person who identified himself as Cody came to the door but didn't open it, said she wasn't there.

When asked whether Us Weekly paid Grubbs for her story, spokeswoman Cheryl Crowley said, "As a policy, we do not comment on obtaining stories or photo transactions."

Grubbs wasn't the only woman to allege an affair with Woods. Reports in Life & Style magazine and the New York Post said a woman named Kalika Moquin had also come forward.

The magazine, quoting an associate of Moquin's, said that Woods "wasn't happy in his marriage or his home life and that there was just so much pressure on him."

"They've hooked up a bunch of times" over the months, the source said of Woods and Moquin. "Tiger told Kalika that married life isn't all it's built up to be."

Another source told the Post that Moquin and Woods have been an item "for some time."

Woods, meanwhile, remained in seclusion in the exclusive gated community of Isleworth, while some of the world's top golfers were in Southern California preparing for the start of a tournament he hosts. Woods, citing injuries from the crash, issued a statement Monday saying he would not attend or play in the Chevron World Challenge.

Woods, who was briefly unconscious after the crash, never spoke with investigators, who asked to see him on three different occasions. Instead, he provided his driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance, as required by Florida law.

The patrol "is not pursuing criminal charges in this matter nor is there any testimony or other evidence to support any additional charges of any kind other than the charge of careless driving," said Sgt. Kim Montes, a spokesman for the highway patrol. "Despite the celebrity status of Mr. Woods, the Florida Highway Patrol has completed its investigation in the same professional manner it strives to complete each traffic investigation."

After consulting with the local prosecutor's office, investigators also decided there was insufficient evidence to issue a subpoena that would have given them access to records from his hospital visit after the crash, Montes said.

The allegations in Us Weekly of an affair with Grubbs came on the heels of last week's National Enquirer story alleging Woods had been seeing New York nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel, who has denied it.

That story came out just two days before Woods wrecked his SUV in the early morning hours following Thanksgiving. The accident — and Woods' refusal to answer questions — fueled speculation among tabloids and gossip Web sites about a possible dispute between Woods and his wife, who told police she used a golf club to smash the back windows of the SUV to help him out.

But Montes said there were "no claims of domestic violence by any individual" stemming from the accident. And an attorney for the neighbors who called 911 said Woods did not appear to be driving under the influence and showed no signs of having been in a fight.

Attorney Bill Sharpe said neighbors found Nordegren kneeling beside her husband, upset about his injuries. Sharpe said Woods appeared woozy and had scratches on his face and that his wife was trying to console him.

But Woods remained the subject of intense media scrutiny, and the Us Weekly report didn't help his appeal for privacy.

According to the magazine, Grubbs said she was 21 when she was approached by Woods at a Las Vegas nightclub on April 13, 2007. The magazine said the meeting "progressed into a clandestine on-and-off affair" that lasted nearly three years and included hundreds of texts.

"I hope he can forgive me for doing this and I know he probably can't," Grubbs is quoted as saying. "Whatever happens with Elin, I hope Tiger and I can reconnect and remain good friends."

Grubbs recently appeared on VH1's reality series, "Tool Academy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

I'm reading the extraordinary book "God Is Back," written by John Mickelthwait and Adrian Woodridge of The Economist.
I started on this book once before, put it aside for a while, and now I'm back. It's an amazingly insightful and objective report on the state of religion worldwide. It's slow reading, though, because it's so full of facts and in-depth analyses.
But here's something I read today that may jar your conscience:

One in 50 Americans are likely to spend some time in prison during their lifetimes and more than 1.5 million children under age 18 have a parent in prison. Half of these are under 10 and 20 percent are under 5.
The children of prisoners are six times more likely than people in the general population to end up in prison themselves.

The authors address the fact that there are numerous causes behind this statistic, but the number itself is staggering if not a total surprise. We sort of sensed it intuitively, but seeing the bare numbers is disturbing evidence that something is horribly amiss in U.S. society and its penal system.

Someone wrote a letter to the editor today claiming that the Toledo school board's contract offer to Superintendent John Foley was "an insult."

There are a lot of people these days who would love to be so insulted.
The offer was a one-year extension of his contract that pays a base salary of $147,767, plus a boatload of benefits.
What kind of perks? Glad you asked.
* 35 vacation days
* 3 personal days
* 1.14 accrued sick days a month or 13.68 days a year
* $500 a month for a vehicle
* $690 a month paid on his behalf to an annuity company
* $300 any month he does not take health-care benefits
* The school board pays his contributions to State Teacher Retirement System

Mr. Foley turned it down, saying he needs at least a two-year extension and the support of the school board.
I understand that non-monetary issues are important.
But in today's economic scenario, the worst job situation in at least a generation, and in a city that is feeling it worse than most, offering someone that kind of salary and benefits package hardly seems to qualify as an insult.

Maybe he's got a better offer waiting somewhere else.

Never heard of Chango until I saw this AP photo and caption....

Santeria followers dance, sing and play drums in honor of Saint Barbara in Santiago, Cuba, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009. Catholics and Santeros honor Saint Barbara, who is associated with Chango, the Afro-Caribbean religion's god of war, by offering them flowers, fruit, burning candles and beating drums. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)

Greg Mortenson with students in Sarhad village in remote northeastern Afghanistan in 2006. It takes 30 hours' driving time over mountain trails to reach here from Kabul. These are the first children to attend school in the region.
* * *
Few Americans understand the situation in Afghanistan better than Greg Mortenson, author of "Three Cups of Tea" and the just-released "Stones into Schools."
He went to Afghanistan 17 years ago to climb the mountain K-2 and wound up having a heart for the people and building 130 schools.
Lately he has helped arranged meetings between U.S. military leaders and Afghan tribal chiefs.
Click here to read very interesting -- and fairly lengthy -- interview with Mortenson by MSNBC.

December 8 is always a sad day in some ways, remembering the senseless murder of John Lennon. Yet it also is a good day because it brings attention to Lennon's life and his legacy.

He was only 40 years, adjusting to life after the craziness of unimaginable fame and presures of being a Beatle, when he was gunned down outside the Dakota in New York City late on Dec. 8, 1980.
Lennon was a hero of mine during my teen years, not just for his lasting musical contributions but also for his messages for peace and concern for bigger issues. He had it all, when it came to worldly success, but found it empty. He was looking for real meaning in life, for the deeper things that bring true peace and happiness. Plus, he wrote beautiful ballads and could rock the joint with the best of them.
Lennon's Christmas song has become a holiday staple and its hopeful peace message is as relevant today as ever.
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)."
By the way, some people scowl at the use of Xmas instead of Christmas, but in ancient times the X was used to represent the cross. So it all depends on one's point of view.

Started reading "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson... It's been recommended to me many times and it is now required reading for all U.S. military leaders serving in Afghanistan. I'm only a few chapters into it and it is hard to put down.
* * *
I'm still working on "God Is Back" for a book club I'm in, and it's a terrific global overview of religion in the world today. Slow going, but very insightful.
* * *
I've been listening to an audio book while driving, James Patterson's "The Lifeguard." I started one other of Patterson's books and lost interest immediately. This one has really caught my attention and now I see why his books are always best sellers.
* * *
I'm probably going to teach a Sunday school class next month on "The Gospel According to the Simpsons," a great book written by a friend of mine, Mark I. Pinsky. Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Probably not next month, but sometime next year.
* * *
I'm working on stories today about: charities that are helping the homeless; the Manhattan Declaration; the U.N. Compassion Declaration; gospel singer David Phelps; and Christmas and holiday events roundup.
* * *
Tomorrow night we're going to a mass choir benefit concert for Cherry Street Missions. Looking forward to some soulful, rafter-shaking music!

From Mother Teresa:

"God has all the money in the world, but he keeps it in your pockets."

Notes while waiting for the hot water tank to reset:
It's a brisk 13 degrees in Toledo right now. It seems even colder because it's been so mild thus far and in addition to the cold temps, the wind is howling. It blew tree limbs down and ripped our grill cover apart last night.
But at least there's no snow... like our neighboring states received from this fierce storm.
* * *
Spent some time yesterday and over the last two weeks visiting homeless shelters and outreach centers. That's such an eye-opening and heart-wrenching thing to do. Another thing that will make you realize just how blessed you are is to visit a Third World nation.
Americans have it made compared to the rest of the world and most of us have it made compared to some of the poor and needy in our backyard.
But people are people, no matter where they live or how much they have. Some of the poor and homeless have tremendously positive attitudes. One guy was telling me yesterday all about the true meaning of Christmas, that it's all about giving and not receiving. And to remember that Christmas is about Jesus' birth, not about material things. It was very touching considering the man's circumstances.
* * *
Our church's life group, or small group, is going back to the Sparrow's Nest shelter for women tomorrow night. We were there last month and the women really wanted us to come back. We're planning to sing a few Christmas carols and I'm going to lead a devotional. I don't know what I'm going to say, exactly, but I'll figure something out -- any suggestions?
We're also putting "goody bags" together for the women.

Today is the first day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, a Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle when one day's worth of oil burned for eight nights when the Jews restored the Temple.
I heard Neil Diamon sing "The Hanukkah Song" on his new holiday album and found Adam Sandler's original version on YouTube. Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

I've mentioned Paper Tongues before... It's a great new band with an amazing story. The guitarist with the long brown hair, Joey, is a good friend of Cara and Dustin's. He went to school in Australia with them and he was the first person Janet and I met when we arrived in Sydney.
Here's Paper Tongues' first official video, of their song "Ride to California." I hope you love their unique style and energy as much as we do.

I was stunned and saddened to read that Editor & Publisher, an authoritative source of journalism industry news, is ceasing publication.
E&P has been a place to go for thorough and balanced coverage of the media throughout my 30-plus year career, and it was around long before me.
The magazine traces its roots to 1884 as a magazine called The Journalist which merged and started printing as E&P in 1901.
The magazine also was known for its classified ads and helped many journalists find jobs over the years.
That all changed with the advent of the internet, of course.
E&P became the latest in the growing list of journalistic fatalities after its parent company forged a deal with a new media holdings firm that bought 8 magazines. It declined to buy E&P and opted for such titles as Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and Backstage instead. Entertainment obviously generates more reader interest than "insider" journalism news these days.

Amazing Grace Techno - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

I saw this hydrogen fuel-cell prototype at the Detroit auto show probably 5 years ago and got pretty pumped about it. But it seems to have slipped off the radar for now.
It's still a long way off but it seems inevitable -- no petrol, no pollution. Plus I like the way you can change the body styles... Mini van one moment, two seat sports car the next.
I think my grandkids will be driving these someday. And I don't even have any grandkids yet ;-)
-- David

Passing along this funny item I received by email:

Entries to a Washington Post competition asking for a 2 line rhyme,
with the most romantic first line, and the least romantic second line.

1. My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife:
Marrying you has screwed up my life.

2. I see your face when I am dreaming.
That's why I always wake up screaming.

3. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot,
This describes everything you are not.

4. I thought that I could love no other
The Wife said, until I met your brother.

5. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.
But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head.

6. I want to feel your sweet embrace,
But don't take that paper bag off your face.

7. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes
Gosh, I'm good at telling lies!

8. My love, you take my breath away.
What have you stepped in to smell this way?

9. What inspired this amorous rhyme?
Two parts vodka, one part lime.

And some people think poetry is boring?

Journalists vote Obama’s Cairo speech No. 1 Religion Story of 2009

COLUMBIA, MO.—For the second year in a row, activities of Barack Obama topped the list of religion stories for 2009, according to a survey of more than 100 religion journalists.

The president’s June speech—in which he pledged a new beginning in Muslim-U.S. relations during a visit to Cairo—was voted the No. 1 religion story of the year.

The speech at Cairo University last spring was widely viewed as a contrast to the approach of previous administrations. During his talk, Obama invoked the Qur’an, Talmud and the Bible while declaring that America was not at war with Islam.

The No. 2 religion story was health care reform and the role of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other faith groups played in shaping the debate.

Rick Warren, the California megachurch pastor who gained attention with his presidential Inauguration Day invocation and comments in the aftermath of Prop. 8, was named 2009 Religion Newsmaker of the Year. Warren also continues to have a major effect in Africa through AIDS relief and other humanitarian activities.

"The Obama inauguration solidified his status as America's most influential evangelical and putative successor to Billy Graham as America's Pastor,” said Jeffery L. Sheler, author of the new Warren biography Prophet of Purpose. "On the flip-side, it also has made him a formidable target of critics and has exposed him to some withering attacks. How he handles the continuing onslaught will be a supreme test of his character."

Warren beat out Pope Benedict XVI; Archbishop Robert Duncan, who heads a new theologically conservative Anglican church; Jim Wallis, Sojourner’s editor and outspoken advocate for social justice issues; and Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America throughout its long debate on ordaining gay clergy.

Below, in order, are the Top 10 Religion Stories, as selected by active members of Religion Newswriters Association.

1. President Obama pledges a new beginning in Muslim-U.S. relations and reaches out to the world's Muslims during a major speech at Cairo University.

2. Health-care reform, the No. 1 topic in Congress for most of the year, involves faith-based groups appealing strongly for action to help "the least of these,” and others, such as the Roman Catholic bishops, for restrictions on abortion funding.

3. Because Maj. Nidal Hasan, the accused gunman in the Fort Hood massacre, was considered a devout Muslim, the role of that faith in terrorism again comes under review; some fear a backlash.

4. Dr. Carl Tiller, regarded as the country’s leading abortion doctor, is gunned down while ushering in his Wichita Lutheran church. Scott Roeder, charged with his murder, is described as a man suffering from delusions and professing radical religious beliefs.

5. Mormons in California come under attack from some supporters of gay rights because of their lobbying efforts in the November 2008 election on behalf of Prop. 8, which outlawed gay marriage. Later in the year, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire approve gay marriage, but it is overturned by voters in Maine.

6. President Obama receives an honorary degree and gives the commencement speech at Notre Dame after fierce debates at the Roman Catholic university over Obama's views on abortion.

7. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America votes to ordain gay and lesbian clergy who are in a committed monogamous relationship, leading a number of conservative churches —known as the Coalition for Renewal—to move toward forming a new denomination.

8. The recession forces cutbacks at a great variety of faith-related organizations—houses of worship, relief agencies, colleges and seminaries, publishing houses.

9. The Episcopal Church Triennial Convention votes to end a moratorium on installing gay bishops, ignoring a request from the archbishop of Canterbury. At year’s end Los Angeles chooses a lesbian, Mary Glasspool, as assistant bishop. Earlier, an elected bishop in Upper Michigan, Kevin Thew Forrester, is rejected because of his extreme liberal views.

10. President Obama’s inauguration includes a controversial invocation by Rick Warren and a controversial benediction by Joseph Lowery, as well as a pre-ceremony prayer by gay Bishop Gene Robinson.

The other events and stories that did not rank in the Top 10 were:

11. The European Parliament votes to widen anti-discrimination laws to require churches, schools and social services to open their membership to those who do not share their beliefs. The required approval from all member states is not considered likely. Meanwhile, some countries crack down on immigrant religions; the Swiss vote restrictions on the building of minarets.

12. The Anglican Church in North America elects Robert Duncan, deposed Episcopal bishop of Pittsburgh, as archbishop, signifying that the breakaway group is not going to go away.

13. Obama’s executive order allowing federal funds to be used for embryonic stem-cell research worries some anti-abortion supporters, is played down by others. The importance of ultrasound technology in preventing abortions is debated.

14. Religious animosity in Iraq among Muslims continues to plague efforts to build a lasting peace. And it continues as one of the barriers to a settlement in the Middle East.

15. Pope Benedict XVI issues Caritas in Veritate encyclical, applying Catholic social-justice emphasis to economic life; shortly afterward he meets with Obama.

16. Obama creates a board-based commission to deal with faith-based matters in his administration but many conservatives remain suspicious of what it will accomplish. His overseas statement that America is not a Christian nation draws criticism from the religious right, but his supporters argue it was taken out of context.

17. The 200th anniversaries of the births of Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln are both marked on Feb. 12; many seminars and discussions consider Darwin’s effect on religion and religion’s effect on Lincoln.

18. The Supreme Court again considers legality of placement of crosses on public land; a decision in the Mojave National Preserve case will come in 2010. Related cases make their way through federal courts.

19. Declines in membership lead Southern Baptists to decide on a new evangelism strategy, Great Commission Resurgence, but some SBC leaders believe the emphasis is misplaced.

20. Changes in leadership leads to tension at some of America’s best known churches—the Crystal Cathedral in California, Coral Ridge Presbyterian and the Church Without Walls in Florida, Riverside in New York City.

21. An immigration raid on a Kosher slaughterhouse leads to fears of shortages in Kosher meat and higher prices.

22. The Catholic bishop of Rhode Island, Thomas Tobin, asks U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy to refrain from taking communion because of some of his positions, notably on abortion.

23. Immigration reform is placed on the back-burner in the new Congress, but it continues to be a topic of disagreement between religious liberals and conservatives, especially in states with many illegal immigrants. The National Association of Evangelicals comes out for comprehensive, compassionate reform.

The poll was conducted in an online ballot among active members on Friday, Dec. 11 through Monday, Dec. 14. RNA members are journalists who report on religion in general circulation media outlets. The poll had a 36 percent response rate.
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I went to register for a class at the University of Toledo this morning. When the woman in the office saw my name, she just about gasped and asked if I was David Yonke the writer.
She had read "Sin, Shame & Secrets" and said it was an amazingly powerful book.
It was difficult because she is a Catholic, she said. When she first started reading it, she had to put it down for a while because it was so disturbing. But when she picked it back up, she could not put it down.
I could see that the story had a profound effect on her. I tried to reassure her that the Catholic Church is OK, but there were individuals who committed heinous acts and others who covered up for them. I said I hoped that the church has learned that it cannot sweep such horrors under the rug, but should deal with them swiftly, firmly and transparently.
She was genuinely grateful that I wrote the book and was glad to know the truth, even if it was painful at times.

In other "Sin, Shame & Secrets" news: I saw that a new hard-cover copy of my book sold on eBay last week for $171. That's almost six times the cover price. The hardcover is out of print, unfortunately, so it's a matter of supply and demand now.
Hopefully the publisher will run off some more copies someday... Maybe when it's made into a movie?
Meanwhile, take good care of your own copy! It may turn out to be a good investment in more ways than one!

Janet and I have an 11-month old puppy named Annie, a powerpuff Chinese crested, who is a real joy to have in our lives. And she's a real puppy, full of energy and just a little mischief.

She also must be a Christian dog, because she loves Jesus.

We have a small porcelain Nativity set under the Christmas tree, and baby Jesus keeps disappearing. I've found little Jesus in our bed, on the stairs, under the couch, and in Annie's crate.

The other day I was sitting on the couch when Annie padded over to the Nativity set, bent down and picked baby Jesus up in her mouth. She started to speed her way upstairs when I told her no. She put baby Jesus down gently and looked at me with those big eyes as if to ask, "Did I do something wrong?"

She never grabs the other figures -- Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, the animals. Just Jesus.
And unlike most items she gets her mouth on, Annie doesn't chew on the Jesus figure. She just sits close to it.

If we lived in Los Angeles, we could take her to Covenant Presbyterian Church. They hold special services for dogs with individual dog beds, pray for the dogs, and pass out doggie treats in the collection plate.

Here's what the pastor, Rev. Tom Eggebeen, had to say to the Associated Press about it:
“The Bible says of God only two things in terms of an ’is’: That God is light and God is love. And wherever there’s love, there’s God in some fashion. And when we love a dog and a dog loves us, that’s a part of God and God is a part of that. So we honor that.”

And some dogs, like Annie, don't just love their owners but they love God, too.

The way I see it, this news story from the Associated Press proves three things:
1. There are some really sick people in this world
2. Some of the worst abuses are by people who twist "religion" to justify their own demented behavior.
3. Truth is stranger than fiction. You can't make things like this up...
-- David
Police: Brazil boy stuck with needles in rituals

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — The stepfather of a 2-year-old boy found with 42 sewing needles in his body confessed to jabbing them into the toddler during a month of rituals with a lover who he claimed received instructions through trances, Brazilian police said Thursday.

Roberto Carlos Magalhaes, a 30-year-old bricklayer, told detectives the woman went into trances and would "command him to stick the needles in the boy's body," police inspector Helder Fernandes Santana said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The woman, Angelina Ribeiro dos Santos, paid to have the needles measuring up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) blessed by a woman who practices the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomble and convinced Magalhaes that inserting them into the boy would somehow allow them to be together, Santana said. Police, however, believe she was out for revenge on the mother.

The two held sessions every few days over a full month in which Magalhaes stuck the needles into the boy several at a time, Santana said.

"According to his confession, he acted under influence of the woman, but it was he who stuck the needles in the boy's body," the inspector said. Magalhaes and dos Santos were arrested, though no charges have yet been filed.

Dos Santos is not believed to be a member of any religious or occult group, and authorities believe she came up with the idea of the rituals on her own, Santana said.

Authorities also detained the woman who blessed the needles so she could be questioned, but Santana said he expects she will be released without charge because she did not know how they were being used.

Magalhaes denied involvement when he was first questioned on Monday, but confessed after police detained him on Wednesday, Santana said.

An enraged crowd of more than 100 people surrounded and hurled rocks at the police station in the small northeastern city of Ibotirama, where the suspects were held Wednesday night. Santana said they broke out a window of his own car because they wrongly believed the suspects were in it.

Extra police were called in to restore order and protect the suspects. They were then taken to an undisclosed lockup for their own protection, and it was not immediately clear whether they had legal representation.

The child was airlifted to a hospital in northeastern Brazil on Thursday because two of the needles are close to his heart, but it was not immediately clear when doctors might be able to remove them.

Surgeons in the city of Barreiras in Bahia state, where the boy had been hospitalized since Sunday, had decided not to try to remove any needles immediately for fear they could cause more damage.

Doctors located 42 needles in the boy, who was in stable condition after a 240-mile (390-kilometer) flight to the hospital in the coastal city of Salvador that has a special heart unit.

Hospital spokeswoman Susy Moreno said an evaluation of when to perform surgery on the boy probably would not be finished until Friday. He was in an intensive care unit but was conscious, had undergone a battery of X-rays and was receiving antibiotics, a hospital statement said. While the boy was admitted with some internal bleeding, the blood was drained and he did not appear in imminent danger of more bleeding.

The boy's mother, a maid, took him to a hospital in Ibotirama, population about 25,000, on Dec. 10, saying he was complaining of pain.

After X-rays revealed the cause, the mother told police she didn't know how the needles got inside her son, whose name was not released because of his age.

Police and doctors concluded it would have been impossible for the boy to have ingested the needles — which have been also been found in a lung, his left leg and spread throughout his abdomen.

Afro-Brazilian religions practiced in Brazil have no ceremonies, rituals or practices involving harm to people, said Nelson Inocencio, director of African-Brazilian studies at the University of Brasilia.

He worried that the incident could hurt the image of the religions, of which Candomble is the most popular, and concentrated most in Bahia state.

"African religions in Brazil suffer from prejudice and discrimination," he said. "What happened to this boy without a doubt could feed into the prejudice against Afro-Brazilian traditions."

Bust of Frank Zappa to grace Baltimore library

BALTIMORE (AP) — It took more than a year, but Baltimore officials finally decided where to put a bust of rocker Frank Zappa that was given to the city by his fans in Lithuania.

The eccentric musician's statue will be erected outside a public library.

Zappa never visited Lithuania, but his music was popular there among the avant garde. A Lithuanian fan club erected a Zappa statue in the Lithuanian capital, and last year donated a replica to Baltimore, the singer's birthplace.

Baltimore's public arts commission considered multiple locations, including the bohemian Fells Point waterfront, before deciding on the working-class Highlandtown neighborhood known for its Greek restaurants.

Officials don't know yet when it will be installed. Zappa died in 1993.

Copyright 2008, The Associated Press
This May 7, 2008 file photo shows a couple sitting beneath a statue of Frank Zappa in Vilnius, Lithuania. In 1995, a quirky band of Lithuanians managed to erect a bronze bust of eccentric rocker Frank Zappa in downtown Vilnius, the capital of the former Soviet republic. Zappa never visited Lithuania, but his music was popular there among the avant garde. A Lithuanian fan club erected a Zappa statue in the Lithuanian capital, and last year donated a replica to Baltimore, the singer's birthplace. It took more than a year, but Baltimore officials have finally decided that the statue will be erected outside a public library. (AP Photo/Mindaugas

I've been dreading this news ever since GM announced it had to close some divisions because of its financial crises. I'm hoping something works out to keep Saabs rolling off the line -- maybe in China? They are great cars in so many ways and fit me and my driving behavior like a glove. -- David

From Autoweek:

By DALE JEWETT

General Motors will shut down Saab after the automaker wasn't able to conclude a deal to sell the brand to Spyker Cars, GM said on Friday.

“Despite the best efforts of all involved, it has become very clear that the due diligence required to complete this complex transaction could not be executed in a reasonable time," GM Europe president Nick Reilly said in a statement.

"In order to maintain operations, Saab needed a quick resolution. We regret that we were not able to complete this transaction with Spyker Cars. We will work closely with the Saab organization to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner. This is not a bankruptcy or forced liquidation process. Consequently, we expect Saab to satisfy debts, including supplier payments, and to wind down production and the distribution channel in an orderly manner while looking after our customers.”

GM said Saab will continue to honor warranties and provide service and spare parts.

One week ago, GM sold the tooling for the Saab 9-5 and some Saab technologies to Bejing Automotive Industry Holdings Co. Ltd. GM said the shutdown of Saab should not affect that sale.

AutoWeek | Updated: 12/18/09, 1:12 pm et

"Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady."
from the song "Stand Up Comedy" on the "No Line on the Horizon" album.

My wife and I are fans of "Survivor," the TV series that started the reality tv craze. We watched this last season, the 19th, with our daughter Cara and son-in-law Dustin.
Trivia note: I've applied to be on Survivor a few times but never got called.
The season ended last night and it was pretty entertaining. This year there was a "villain" named Russell who played more strategically than anybody in Survivor history.

Russell Hantz's strategy didn't pay off

A millionaire oil-company owner, Russell pulled all the strings to get his competitors eliminated and manipulated players like he was a puppet master. He found hidden immunity idols without getting any clues, which had never been done before in the series history. He won the most important individual immunity challenge in the game at the very end.
But he didn't win the game and its million dollar prize.
Wow, was he ticked off last night when he lost. The prize went to Natalie, a young blonde who quit her job as a pharmaceutical salesperson to be on the game.
He said several times after the vote that he played the best game in Survivor history, he deserved to win, blah blah blah.

There was one important factor Russell miscalculated: The winner is chosen by the last 9 people who are voted out.

Natalie White: wins $1 Million and Sole Survivor title

Russell thought everybody would vote for him because he was such a great strategic player. But he did not build any relationships with his fellow competitors. He treated them like pawns in his game. They resented that.
Yes, he was a great player but it takes the human touch and relationships to win people's votes. It's not an objective vote based on skills or achievements.
Natalie, meanwhile, kept a low profile most of the game but ended up in the final 3 and then won the jury's votes. Some people dismissed her strategy of riding Russell's coattails and letting him take the heat as wimpy or lucky.
I disagree. It got her to the final group and ultimately won her a million dollars. Her plan reminded me of Nascar drivers who get behind the leader and "draft" him around the track before finding the right opening and slingshotting past. Natalie drafted Russell, let him take the pressure and hurt people's feelings, and then she rocketed past him at the finish line.
It's a strategy that worked, much to Russell's chagrin.

Here's an interesting sermon, as reported in the York Press in England (here's a link to the newspaper website).

'It’s okay to shoplift' says Father Tim Jones, parish priest of St Lawrence and St Hilda

By Gavin Aitchison »

WORSHIPPERS at one York church got a shock when their parish priest used the last Sunday before Christmas to advocate shoplifting.

Father Tim Jones, parish priest of St Lawrence and St Hilda, broke off from the traditional Nativity story yesterday, and said stealing from large national chains was sometimes the best option many vulnerable people had.

He told the congregation: “My advice, as a Christian priest, is to shoplift. I do not offer such advice because I think that stealing is a good thing, or because I think it is harmless, for it is neither.

“I would ask that they do not steal from small, family businesses, but from large national businesses, knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices. I would ask them not to take any more than they need, for any longer than they need.”

He said he offered the advice “with a heavy heart”, and wished society would recognise that bureaucratic ineptitude and systemic delay had created an “invitation and incentive to crime for people struggling to cope”.

Father Jones said society had failed many needy people, and said it was far better that they shoplift than turn to more degrading or violent options such as prostitution, mugging or burglary. He cited an example of an ex-prisoner who had received less than £100, including a crisis loan, in the six weeks since his release.

He said his advice did not contradict the Bible’s eighth commandment, not to steal, saying God’s love for the poor and despised outweighed the property rights of the rich.

He added: “Let my words not be misrepresented as a simplistic call for people to shoplift. The observation that shoplifting is the best option that some people are left with is a grim indictment of who we are. “Rather, this is a call for our society no longer to treat its most vulnerable people with indifference and contempt.”

He said providing “inadequate or clumsy social support” was “monumental, catastrophic folly”.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh, who has campaigned in Parliament for stronger sentences for shoplifters, said there had been an “over-commercialisation” of Christmas, putting more pressure on people to spend, but said: “I cannot condone inciting anyone to commit a criminal offence.”

She said shoplifting was “a crime against the whole local community and society”.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “First and foremost, shoplifting is a criminal offence and to justify this course of action under any circumstances is highly irresponsible.

“Turning or returning to crime will only make matters worse, that is a guarantee.”

He said the force recognised that some people found themselves in difficult circumstances but said support was readily available and must be sought.

I wasn't shoplifting! (Can anyone translate the French?)

After all that preparation and anticipation, it's Christmas.
You knew it would arrive eventually.
This is a day that means different things to different people. Even different things in different years to the same people. But the reason for Christmas, celebrating the birth of Christ, should nevefr be eclipsed by the tinsel and the lights and the presents under the tree.
For many people, 2009 has been an awful year. It seems like bad news and trouble have been hanging around us like that old comic strip character Joe Btfsplk.
Most of you probably never even heard of him (here is a link) but he had a black cloud over his head and disaster followed poor ol' Joe everywhere he went. (I used to read the comics religiously when I was a kid.)
Our country has been dealing with economic disasters, soldiers shedding their blood on foreign lands, job layoffs, pay cutbacks, etc.
We've seen good people, like Elie Wiesel, lose their life's savings in the Madoff scandal.
Even the Cleveland Indians let us down and failed to brighten things up for fans in 2009.
Over the last month, I've been spending a lot of time around homeless shelters, soup kitches, and community outreach centers. Some of it has been for news articles, other visits were part of our church's "life group" (small group) outreaches.
It's affirmed my mother's old words of wisdom, that no matter how bad off you are, there's always somebody worse off.
In other words, count your blessings.
I could gripe and moan, but the truth is that even with all the setbacks of 2009, I and my family and my friends have it much better than so many people.
I really am counting my blessings.
I've met single moms with four kids and the gas turned off for nonpayment.
I've visited homeless shelters where people are destitute and have no prospects of moving out anytime soon.
I've talked to folks whose only meal for the day was a served at a soup kitchen.
We had the privilege of taking a cruise in October and it was a wonderful vacation, but our waitress, who is from Colombia, told us she works 7 months straight and then gets 2 or 3 months off and she has a 7 year old daughter. Her mother watches the girl while she's working on the ship. Our waitress said, trying to hide tears behind her smile, that she has not gotten to see her daughter grow up.
And we think we have it bad.
Americans have so much. It is a land of bounty.
I hope we are able to look back at 2009 as a year of correction -- a time when our country moved away from its embarrassing obsession with materialism and greed and image, and began to re-evaluate what is really important in life and community.
We're being forced to pause and consider simplifying things.
I'm not talking about selling or giving everything away and becoming a monk or moving to an Amish community, just taking an examined look at our lives, strive for a good balance, and keep everything in perspective.
So it's Christmas. Celebrate this special day. Have a merry time with loved ones. Let's go into 2010 with our eyes wide open and our hearts full of compassion.

I went to see James Cameron's "Avatar" with a little trepidation. My hopes were so high for this sci-fi mega-budget movie that it would be easy to fall short. But I'm happy to report it was terrific in almost every respect.

The 3-D effects were stunning, better than any 3-D movie I've ever seen except perhaps some of those Imax specials (Nascar, Titanic) and a few of the shows at Walt Disney World (Muppets).
The cgi creatures, planet and main characters set the bar even higher for the genre.
And the story, although a bit predictable and verging on hokey, was good enough to keep your interest and move things along swiftly. The plot never dragged and you barely noticed until you checked your watch (or cell phone) afterward that something like 2 hours and 50 minutes had flown by.
As much as I enjoy sci fi and fantasy films and books, Janet usually dislikes them to the same degree. With rare exceptions, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the latest Star Trek movie. But she is raving about "Avatar" and the love story was the key to winning her over.
It's almost as powerful and well crafted as Lord of the Rings but obviously cannot match the depth of plot and character development supplied by the masterful writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and delivered by Peter Jackson over the 9 or 12 hours of the trilogy (depending which version you watch).
Overall, I'd say "Avatar" is thoroughly engaging escapism. The new generation graphics and the solid story make it an instant classic in the sci-fi/fantasy genre.
I'll give up thumbs way up to 5 stars ;-)
(don't you hate it when people judge a movie or any piece of creativity with a couple of thumbs or stars? What a weak way to explain something that an artist has poured his or her heart and soul and energy and time into -- not to mention money.)

I'm almost done reading Greg Mortenson's remarkable and inspiring book, "Three Cups of Tea," about the American mountain climber's work building schools in remote regions of Pakistan.

He was in a rural mountain village in Pakistan when the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place, and learned the news from a Uighar radio station broadcasting in China.

Mortenson had been working with Pakistani village leaders and tribes for eight years and knew the people and the region better than most foreigners. And the Pakistanis knew and respected this American "infidel" because of his hard work and great sacrifices he had made in provideing education for their children.

A few days after 9/11, Mortenson attended the dedication of a primary school his NGO, the Central Asia Insitute, had constructed in the rugged village of Kuardu. In that emotionally charged village that feared an American military backlash after 9/11, a Shiite Muslim cleric, Syad Abbas, gave an inspired speech to local villagers at the school's dedication, which Mortenson quotes in part in "Three Cups of Tea":

"I request America to look into our hearts and see that the great majority of us are not terrorists, but good and simple people. Our land is stricken with poverty because we are without education. But today, another candle of knowledge has been lit. In the name of Allah the Almighty, may it light our way out of the darkness we find ourselves in."

Yes, there are a few Muslim extremists like the maniac who tried to blow up a plane landing in Detroit on Christmas Day. But most Muslims truly are peaceful people and good neighbors. Education is a tool that can be more effective than bombs, but it takes time and patience and an investment of money and energy.

Unfortunately, even after great strides in literacy and education, there will always be a handful of people blinded by prejudice and rage who cannot see or think rationally or abide by the golden rule that is taught by all religions, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

But Syad Abbas has the right idea: Keep lighting those candles amid the darkness of ignorance and hatred.

My favorite auto maker was nearly dead but now there's hope it may rise again... It is crazy that such an amazingly well designed and produced affordable automobile faces the prospect of being shut down by an inefficient and poorly run corporate behemoth like GM. Saab never should have made a deal with the devil in the first place. Perhaps this isn't the end of the road for Saab but just a bump, and then a new start.

GM continues with Saab shutdown as talks continue

By DAN STRUMPF, AP Auto Writer Dan Strumpf, Ap Auto Writer

NEW YORK – General Motors Co. is pressing ahead with plans to shut down Saab, though it will continue to hear bids for the Swedish car brand, a company spokesman said Wednesday.

Tom Wilkinson said the automaker is not commenting on reports that a deadline for proposals for Saab has been extended to Jan. 7. GM had previously said it was giving bidders until Thursday to come forward with an offer for Saab until it decided earlier this month that it would wind down the brand.

"During the wind down process we've heard from a number of people with proposals for Saab, and we're going to evaluate the proposals as we start the wind down," Wilkinson said.

Saab spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs said GM's decision to wind down Saab still stands, though it will still entertain bids. Dec. 31 is "no longer a magical date" where a GM decision should be expected, Gustavs said.

GM has been in talks to sell Saab over the last month with Dutch exotic car maker Spyker Cars. It has also heard from other suitors after an attempt to sell the brand to a consortium led by Swedish sports car manufacturer by Koenigsegg Automotive AB fell apart in November.

A Spyker spokesman said that the Dutch carmaker remained in talks with GM over Saab as of Wednesday but no deal had yet been reached.

On Dec. 18, GM announced its intention to close down the storied Swedish brand. Saab employs about 3,400 people worldwide, most of whom work at its main plant in Trollhattan, Sweden. The brand also has some 1,100 dealers.

GM is eliminating Saab along with Pontiac, Hummer and Saturn as part of a restructuring plan that will leave it with four core brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick.

Spyker is a niche company that manufactures a small number of exotic sports cars that fetch $200,000 or more. Last year, the company produced just 43 vehicles and lost $24.8 million euros ($35.7 million).

___

I was listening to the Beatles' newly remastered "White Album" today when "Helter Skelter" came on. This is a raw, powerhouse rock song with a fierce guitar riff, bizarre lyrics and lots of chaotically blended, molten background action and harmonies.
This may sound odd to you, and it certainly seemed odd to me, but the song brought me to tears.
It's not a sappy sentimental ballad or the kind of orchestral masterpiece that stirs one's admiration for beauty, but I was just taken aback by the visionary and daring creativity of these four musicians to write and record such a song. It is about as far from "Yesterday" and "Strawberry Fields" as night from day, yet it was created by these very same artists.
It is the kind of song that only the Beatles could have created.
Unfortnately as you know it was tainted by madman Charlie Manson saying the song spoke messages to him, and then U2 covered it, saying they were taking it back. Manson never really stole it, he just corrupted it within his own sick mind.
But while I've heard it countless times before, today it just struck me today in a new way. It's a masterpiece all its own, there's no other song with that energy, fury, chaos, beauty, melody and balance.
Crank it up and give it a listen.
It's also amazing that it was created 40 years ago! Like all of the Beatles' body of work, it's stood the test of time and will be around for centuries just like Mozart and Bach and Brahms.
* * *
When I was a kid, my friend Tom used to rave about Paul McCartney's bass playing. I thought Tom was crazy. McCartney was a masterful singer-songwriter but his bass playing was fluffy romantic stuff, or so I thought.
I was wrong; Tom was right.
As I listen to the new remastered discs on an excellent stereo system, I'm hearing details that I never heard on my vinyl LP's played on an el-cheapo system.
Considering that along with the perspective that comes with age and experience, I now hear how McCartney's bass lines are perfectly conceived and executed, with a diversity of styles and sounds and amazing flexibility that suit each song.
Along with his other talents, Macca is a bass virtuoso, I've finally come to realize.
* * *
I was browsing in Barnes & Noble yesterday when I discovered some buried treasure -- a coffee table-sized book containing all of the New Yorker cartoons from 1925 to 2007. Plus, it also has them all on an included, searchable DVD, in pdf form.
This is a book that sells for $75 but I got it for... DRUMROLL please.... just ten bucks! I thought I was going to pay $20, which I considered to be a steal, but it was another 50% off of that bargain price.
The New Yorker cartoons are a national treasure. I hope to be posting some of them here on occasion.

This quote has to rate among the highest ever reported when it comes to insensitivity:

An 11-year-old girl and her 15-year-old boyfriend in Clearwater, Fla., tried to kill the girl's mother by pouring gasoline on the bedroom floor and setting it on fire. The woman was awakened by a smoke detector and suffered "serious burns and smoke inhalation."

Asked for a motive, police spokewoman Elizabeth Watts said it was "probably just typical teenage angst."

Aren't we glad to be saying goodbye to 2009?
What a terrible year for America and the world in general, although there were many great moments and wonderful times for individuals.
I could easily write a lengthy review of the year, but we're all busy I'll just give a quick rundown.
* * *
First of all, I am thankful for the health and the love of my family and friends in 2009. The Yonke family gained a son-in-law when Cara and Dustin Cooper were married in March.
We also gained a new puppy with the addition of little Annie in April.
* * *
Traveling is one of my favorite things to do, as it is for most people, and I had the privilege of making a few memorable trips in '09.
I visited New York City for a few days to interview for a fellowship, which I did not get, but I did get to hang out with some old friends for a few days.
I rode a bus to Washington for Obama's inauguration in January for a news story. That was quite an adventure as it was a turn-around trip with no hotel accommodations. The bus broke down in the middle of frozen nowhere on the way back and everyone had to be tested for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Cara and Dustin moved to the Atlanta area in April and we went to visit in June, but the newlyweds wound up moving back to Toledo on my birthday, August 2nd. It was a wonderful birthday present.
Janet and I got to visit Elaine and Ken and the boys in Knoxville twice this year and also went to Virginia Beach to see our nephew Brad graduate from fire academy and to spend time with Bonnie & Rick and the family.
I went to Minneapolis for a Religion Newswriters Association convention in September and really was impressed with that vibrant city. On the way home I flew to Chicago and met Janet and we went to see U2 at Soldier Field.
In October, we took a few weeks off and drove to Florida, stopping in Knoxville and then Tampa, where we visited relatives and saw U2 in concert for the second time, and then on to Naples and Fort Lauderdale to visit friends.
We then enjoyed a Caribbean cruise with 12 friends from our church and it was an incredibly fun and relaxing vacation. It was our first cruise and it was far better than I had anticipated.
We stopped in Key West, Cozumel, and Belize and those were all great -- especially snorkeling in Belize -- but the most fun was just hanging out with our friends aboard the Enchantment of the Seas.
* * *
It was great to see how our church, Toledo Calvary, made some positive steps in 2009. The mortgage was paid off in November 2008 and the savings has enabled us to fix the roof and do some much-needed work to the HVAC.
We also opened a cafe on Christmas eve that is a beautiful and functional addition to the atrium, a place to gather and fellowship and have fun along with a cup of coffee.
* * *
On the downside, it was a rough year for the economy in general, and sadly America continues to send its young people to war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
* * *
The newspaper industry is getting hit hard by the continued popularity of the internet and the high costs of production and declining ad revenue. In my department, virtually all overtime was banned in 2009, and after 20-plus years of regular OT it was a tough financial blow that was exacerbated by benefits cuts.
With layoffs and retirements in the newsroom, everybody is stretched to the max.

I was told recently that I will be working on religion part-time, and editing other news part-time. This comes after I have covered religion full-time since 2000 and the paper has had a full-time religion editor for at least 50 years.

Obviously it will not be possible to provide the same level of religion coverage as I have been doing for the last nine-plus years, but I will do the best I can. It is hoped that more reporters and editors can be hired in 2010 and perhaps I may be able to cover religion full time once again. But I'm not holding my breath.
* * *
So it's good riddance to 2009 and best wishes for 2010. May it be a year of health and prosperity in every way.