Bric-a-Brac

La Quinta Inn will no longer grant suite deals to an abortionist in Kansas. You can thank La Quinta H E R E.

X-X-Xanthan Gum: You know, read your labels, it’s everywhere!

Xanthan gum is used as a thickener in sauces, as an agent in ice cream that prevents ice crystals from forming, and as a fat substitute that adds the “mouth feel” of fat without the calories. It is used in canned pet food to add “cling”. In pastry fillings, it prevents “weeping” (syneresis) of the water in the filling, protecting the crispness of the crust.

Now, another word that starts with X — Porn — is becoming just as ubiquitous. In other words, you might wanna read your media labels for the X-word. You got Satellite? You got porn. Local Cable Access Channel? Yup, you got it.

The Dobson Drumming continues in the MSM. Actually, pretty much all Christians are bozos.

Cartoon characters adored by kids seized the spotlight in the latest flare-up of America’s culture wars, but the debate itself poses serious questions for adults involving the depiction of gays and lesbians in materials for teaching children about diversity and tolerance.

The liberal camp argues that even young children should learn that intolerance based on sexual identity is wrong, and that gays are as legitimate a part of the national mosaic as anyone else.

“It’s about creating awareness and understanding of people who are different,” said Joan Garry of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Why shouldn’t that be a good thing for America’s young people?”

The conservative camp has responded vehemently: By all means, teach children to respect other individuals, but do not cross the line and teach them that homosexuality is acceptable.

“Tolerance itself can be a very dangerous word,” said the Rev. Terry Fox, a Southern Baptist pastor in Wichita, Kan. “Tolerance gives the public schools an avenue to literally brainwash our kids that every lifestyle is OK.”

Read the whole story H E R E.

John Mark Reynolds chimes in with a splash of sanity.

Finally, when saying our Evening Prayers last night, my son reminded me of the Feast: February 2nd is the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple. Mind you, we’d just read about the Righteous Simeon and his disbelief that a VIRGIN would conceive and bear a Son. He’d even gone so far as to change the wording of the Scripture to say “a young woman” when he was corrected by an angel. And … so forth. After prayers, Basil (almost 7) said, “Dad, I noticed something about that story … he did it after Ground Hog Day.”

There it is.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.