Vanessa Thrasher is upset that Southfield Public School officials are requiring her 15-year-old daughter, Katherine, to read controversial books such as Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zorah Neale Hurston and Black Boy by Richard Wright -- books that contain objectionable elements such as profanity, sexual content, and denigrating depictions of Christians.

Thrasher wants her daughter to be given alternate reading material in her sophomore honors literature and composition class.

In January, 17-year-old Peer Larson and his father, Bruce Lawson, filed suit against officials with the Whitnall School District, arguing three honors pre-calculus assignments should not have been required after the 180-day academic year was over. The plaintiffs argued that the summer homework created an unfair workload and unnecessary stress.

However, Judge Richard Sankovitz, has tossed out the suit. In his ruling, the judge observed, "Had the Larsons done a bit more homework," they would have learned that the people of Wisconsin granted the legislature "power to establish school boards."

Gary Glenn, Midland, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, contacted school officials in response to the Winter 2005 issue of the middle school’s Cavalier Chronicle, which included an article entitled “Good Witch or Bad Witch?” in which an 8th grade member of the student newspaper staff wrote that “most people believe that witches don’t exist, and I am here to prove them wrong.”

“My family is a normal family, except that my aunt is a Wiccan witch,” the Central Middle School 8th grader wrote. “…I have decided to experiment with this religion and see if this is the way for me. I also think that some of the kids in school would like some of the things that Wiccans do, like: We gather in meetings every week and talk, gossip, and learn about the Wiccan way. We cast spells and potions. …So, if you are interested, you can look up some books…and learn all you want about Wiccans.”

The church's estimated 6,300 members in 40 countries place a strong emphasis on using world news to "prove'' that these are end times, to be followed by Christ's second coming.

This year, the group's leader, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith, wrote that events prophesied in the Bible are "beginning to occur with increasing frequency.''

As the two officers attempted to arrest Kevin, a struggle ensued and Timon opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle on both Lowry and Hathcock. Both officers lay helplessly on the ground bleeding, when Kevin took Lowry's pistol and at point blank range shot both men to death. ...

All of that changes, however, since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that the execution of murderers who committed their crimes while under the age of 18 is a violation of the Eighth Amendment. Although Kevin Golphin's murder of two law enforcement officers was exceptionally notorious, sentencing him to death is now considered "cruel and unusual punishment." Golphin is off death row and both Lowry and Hathcock's blood must cry out from the ground!!! ....

"Words have no meaning if the views of less than 50 percent of death penalty states can constitute a national consensus," said Scalia. With regard to the death penalty being disproportionate for minors, Scalia declared, "Juries 'maintain a link between contemporary community values and the penal system' that this Court cannot claim for itself." ...

For all those who believe juveniles are never culpable enough to deserve capital punishment, consider this: Not everyone in hell is over the age of 18. God holds individuals responsible according to their abilities at whatever age to discern right and wrong.

It reminded me of two quotes, the first by Dan Rather and the other about him: * "If we [CBS Evening News co-anchor Connie Chung and Rather] could be one-hundredth as great as you and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been in the White House, we'd take it right now and walk away winners .... Tell Mrs. Clinton we respect her and we're pulling for her." (To President Clinton, via satellite, at a May 27, 1993, CBS affiliates meeting)

MEN: New President Bill Clinton congratulated Dan Rather on his on-air partnership with Connie Chung. Thank you, Mr. President, thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. If we could be one one hundredth as great as you and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been together in the White House, we [could quit] right now and walk away winners. [Dan Rather at a meeting for CBS affiliates, speaking to Bill Clinton via satellite, May 27th, 1993]

Nearly $60 billion worth of retirement assets have been put to work in the Chilean stock market. Supporters of private accounts say all this investment in local companies has helped fuel an unprecedented economic boom.