Earlier today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Samuel Alito as the 110th Supreme Court Justice with a vote of 58 to 42. He will be sworn in later today.

I am thankful that this occurred in spite of threats of partisanship and filibuster. I join many Christians and conservatives in rejoicing at this news for what it potentially provides for our country and the correction of the judicial misdirection

According to a FOXNews story, Kanye West has the audacity to pose as Jesus Christ, with a crown of thorns on his head, on the cover of the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

The young and outspoken rapper apparently makes remarks about his greatness (no surprise there) and even admits to being addicted to pornography in the interview.

Given the vile torrent of his lyrics undermining anything even slightly resembling morality, and given his utter lack of humility and his truly pitiful addiction to pornography, I am left with only one thing to say.

Mr. West, I know Jesus Christ and have known Him intimately for over 30 years. You are no Jesus Christ!

As Christmas 2005 approaches, every town, city, county, state, and even the United States as a whole are again enduring the battles and experiencing the effects of the deepening movement toward some sort of all-equal pluralism and secular humanism...and the overall secularization of our country. To some extent, I understand governments not wanting to offend. But if you carry their reasoning to completion, then any celebration - even if you don't call it "Christmas" or "Easter" - will offend some...like atheists...and certainly Jehovah's Witnesses (who seem to avoid most, if not all, celebrations).

For all Americans, this is an incredibly important day of remembrance, gratitude, and respect for our country's veterans. They exhibited commitment, character, integrity, service, and sacrifice...and we are so deeply grateful for these men and women and the impact they have had on our nation and our world.

I found the following on what I think is the official website for Veterans Day:

Veterans Day, 2005

November 2, 2005

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Americans owe a great debt of gratitude to those who have sacrificed for our liberty and for the security of our Nation. We express deep appreciation to our veterans -- the men and women who stepped forward when America needed them, triumphed over brutal enemies, liberated continents, and answered the prayers of millions around the globe.

From the beaches of Normandy and the snows of Korea to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our courageous veterans have sacrificed so that Americans and others could live in freedom. As we mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II this year, we remember the millions of veterans who crossed oceans and defeated two of the most ruthless military forces the world has ever known. The freedom that the children and grandchildren of these veterans now enjoy is a monument to their fallen comrades and the generations of patriots who have served our country.

Through their commitment to freedom, America's veterans have lifted millions of lives and made our country and the world more secure. They have demonstrated to us that freedom is the mightiest force on Earth. We resolve that their sacrifices will always be remembered by a grateful Nation.

With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service men and women have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor veterans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2005, as Veterans Day and urge all Americans to observe November 6 through November 12, 2005, as National Veterans Awareness Week. I urge all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to encourage and participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I invite civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, businesses, unions, and the media to support this national observance with commemorative expressions and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Simultaneous explosions were reported at the Grand Hyatt, Radisson, and Days Inn hotels in Amman, Jordan around 8:50 p.m. (local time) Wednesday night in an apparent coordinated terrorist attack. Jordanian police say scores of people were killed. Click here for the developing story.

Excerpted from FOXNews.com:

President Bush on Monday nominated Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court to replace the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

While many Republicans praised the judicial nominee, Democrats wasted no time in publicly blasting him as "too radical."

Some at the White House believe there will be 22 votes against Alito because if some lawmakers didn't like Judge John Roberts, they wouldn't like Alito, they said. The Senate in September voted 78-22 in favor of confirming Roberts for the top judicial position.

Roberts may be closest to Alito in that "both are conservatives but both are very careful not to give their opinion" on social issues, John Nagle, associate dean at Notre Dame Law School who knows Alito, told FOX News on Monday.

Calling Alito a "terrific nominee," Nagle said the nominee has a "distinguished record" while working on constitutional issues in the Justice Department and during the rest of his professional career.

Alito is "very gracious, easy going, personable. He's really a legal thinker but he's not a person who in his personal conversations … tries to prove how bright he is," Nagle said.

"He's conservative but you don't get the sense from his opinions that he's pursuing a particular agenda. ... His decisions are very measured, analytical."

Alito has been dubbed "Scalito" or "Scalia-lite" by some lawyers because his judicial philosophy invites comparisons to that of conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. But while Scalia is outspoken and known to badger lawyers, Alito is polite, reserved and even-tempered. Some at the White House have taken offense to the nickname.

FOX News Supreme Court analyst Tim O'Brien said while Alito's ideology may be similar to that of Scalia's, he is an independent thinker and should not be labeled as another Scalia.

The more I read, the more I like this nomination. And in liberal-speak, "too radical" and "too devisive" can usually be interpreted as meaning the nominee is exactly what the country needs!

When documents related to Harriet Miers' views on abortion 16 years ago were included with her Supreme Court questionnaire, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California said, "This raises very serious concerns about her ability to fairly apply the law without bias in this regard."

Shouldn't this same concern apply to judicial nominees who support abortion, Senator Feinstein? Can they be trusted to fairly apply the law, or should they be viewed as only being able to adjudicate within the confines of their own agenda?

The liberal double standard never ceases to amaze and amuse me!

Conservatives are frequently criticized by liberals as being simple-minded and shallow when they are "single-issue" voters on subjects such as abortion. True conservatives usually consider a candidate's views about abortion as being either a deal-maker or a deal-breaker.

As a candidate for the Dallas City Council in 1989, Miers expressed her opposition to abortion in a Texans United for Life questionnaire. She backed a constitutional amendment to ban the procedure in most cases and would have supported legislation restricting abortions if allowed by the Supreme Court.

Once again, the same shrill liberals that criticize conservatives for being "single-issue" are crying out about Harriet Miers' views on abortion and are staunchly opposed to her confirmation based solely on the subject of abortion.

Hmmm. It appears that being "single-issue" is much more palatable to them when it suits their own interests.

Borrowing from the American Family Association:

On his program on October 12, Bill O'Reilly exposed the ACLU for what it is. His is the strongest, most accurate definition of the ACLU that I have ever seen or read by a member of the mainstream media.

Click here to read O'Reilly's comments, and scroll down this page to see what the ACLU supports and opposes!

We should remember the way the ACLU works to get their agenda into law. They have never taken a single issue to the public and worked through the democratic system of voting. Rather, they find a sympathetic liberal activist judge to make law from the bench.

To place your name on the thank you note to Bill O'Reilly for his public exposure of the agenda of the ACLU, click here.

As I see more and more images of Katrina's aftermath, I'm stunned by the devastation. It's difficult to imagine the long-term impacts in the entire region to individuals, families, communities, cities, businesses, and governments.

These same images also give evidence of mankind's very best and most noble...selflessness, service, sacrifice. Unfortunately, they also show the very worst and most despicable...vicious crimes including murder, rape, and unchecked looting.