The new change would allow employers that have religious objections to offering contraception as part of their health plans to turn the responsibility over to insurance companies instead.

As a result, "nurses, teachers, janitors and others" who work for religious-based hospitals, universities and social service agencies "will still have access" to contraception without having to pay a copay or deductible, a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call Friday morning.

Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, which oversees more than 600 Catholic hospitals, praised the change in a statement.
"We are pleased and grateful that the religious liberty and conscience protection needs of so many ministries that serve our country were appreciated enough that an early resolution of this issue was accomplished," she said. "The unity of Catholic organizations in addressing this concern was a sign of its importance."

It's a complicated situation. One of the universities in my city is a Catholic university. It's ranked as one of the top research institutions in the nation. It's affiliated with St. Louis University Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. Cardinal Glennon has a Pediatric Research Institute. It also has a campus in Madrid with about 600-700 students. The tuition for the university is $27,000/year for undergraduates.

Wiki: SLU's athletic teams compete in NCAA's Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference. It has a current enrollment of 13,785 students representing all 50 states and more than 77 foreign countries.

These hospitals and this university employ quite a few people in my city. Scientists work in the research institutes. When I was living in a dorm on a college campus, I was able to pay monthly to be able to use the medical facility on campus. Now add how many students attend the college to the situation. I can't imagine that many women not being able to receive birth control from their health insurance. This is not about insurance at churches. It goes further than that - universities and hospitals.

Also, these hospitals accept Medicaid and Medicare - our tax dollars.

Think about it. Since most Catholic women use birth control is this mandate for Catholics or against Catholics?

Does anybody know the true reason as to why the Catholic church started being against contraception? Hint: A growing Catholic family means a growing Catholic church.

Twenty eight states already require the same thing and some of those twenty eight states provide no exception for churches. This is employer/employee law - not religion/non-religion. Obama provides an exception for churches; but, not church affiliated businesses. Churches as employers are mandated to provide worker comp insurance too. Same difference.

That's so cool! What fun!

I won't get a tattoo with a man's name on it.

That was great! Thanks for sharing!

You need to see a doctor for that. We can't heal stomach ulcers.

A common cause of ulcers is the H. pylori bacteria and that requires antibiotics. If the ulcer is caused by something else, there's medicines that block the production of stomach acids.

In the meanwhile, not eating certain foods may help relieve some of the pain ....like avoiding spicy foods, acidy foods, and alcohol.

Oh, my.

Exclusive: Gingrich Lacks Moral Character to Be President, Ex-Wife Says
ABC NewsBy BRIAN ROSS and RHONDA SCHWARTZ | ABC News – 9 mins ago

Newt Gingrich lacks the moral character to serve as President, his second ex-wife Marianne told ABC News, saying his campaign positions on the sanctity of marriage and the importance of family values do not square with what she saw during their 18 years of marriage.

In her first television interview since the 1999 divorce, to be broadcast tonight on Nightline, Marianne Gingrich, a self-described conservative Republican, said she is coming forward now so voters can know what she knows about Gingrich.

In her most provocative comments, the ex-Mrs. Gingrich said Newt sought an "open marriage" arrangement so he could have a mistress and a wife.

She said when Gingrich admitted to a six-year affair with a Congressional aide, he asked her if she would share him with the other woman, Callista, who is now married to Gingrich.

"And I just stared at him and he said, 'Callista doesn't care what I do,'" Marianne Gingrich told ABC News. "He wanted an open marriage and I refused."

Marianne described her "shock" at Gingrich's behavior, including how she says she learned he conducted his affair with Callista "in my bedroom in our apartment in Washington."

"He always called me at night," she recalled, "and always ended with 'I love you.' Well, she was listening."

All this happened, she said, during the same time Gingrich condemned President Bill Clinton for his lack of moral leadership.

Follow BrianRoss on Twitter

She said Newt moved for the divorce just months after she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, with her then-husband present.

"He also was advised by the doctor when I was sitting there that I was not to be under stress. He knew," she said.

Gingrich divorced his first wife, Jackie, as she was being treated for cancer. His relationship with Marianne began while he was still married to Jackie but in divorce proceedings, Marianne said.

There was no immediate comment from Gingrich on his ex-wife's allegations. Gingrich has said during the campaign he has "no relationship" with Marianne.

While she had been quoted earlier as saying she could end his career, Marianne Gingrich defended Newt's ethics while he served in Congress and came under several ethics investigations.

"At the time, I believed him to be ethical," she said in the interview.

The former Mrs. Gingrich says Newt began to plan a run for President at the time of the divorce and told her that Callista "was going to help him become President."

In a statement to ABC News provided by the campaign, Gingrich's two daughters from his first marriage said, "The failure of a marriage is a terrible and emotional experience for everyone involved."

The daughters, Kathy Lubbers and Jackie Cushman said they would not say anything negative about Marianne and said their father "regrets any pain he may have caused in the past to people he loves."

Marianne Gingrich said Newt has never expressed any such regrets or apologized to her.


http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-gingrich-lacks-moral-character-president-ex-wife-135852543--abc-news.html

A wicked sexy squirrel costume? Are you a furry, Patsfan?

Loved to death X bloodmilk. You were in the trinity of my beating heart.

Squirrel heart ring.

Loved to death and bloodmilk are pleased to announce the first piece in a line of limited edition collaborative jewelry: a rose gold plated squirrel heart, is cradled within a sterling setting cast from an antique.

The solid heart is cast from a real squirrel heart and has retained all its subtle details, the wrinkles of the skin, the small veins, the tiny ventricles. plated in rose gold it pops as the esteemed jewel within a highly detailed crown Victorian setting that has been oxidized to a gloomy gray for contrast.

The squirrel heart is a signature of loved to death, often used as a taxidermic jewel in their designs. by casting it and setting it within a Victorian setting it takes on the presence of becoming immortal in metal.

The gloomy gray oxidization of the setting is bloodmilk's signature to this piece; by combining both of the styles of each jewelry house, a new, unique creation is born.

Based on the song 'the heart the size of a horse' by the black heart procession, this special ring is limited to 20 pieces,making this an extra special offering.

This item is made to order, just for you!
Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.
Please send your correct* ring size in the notes to seller.

A heart the size of a horse:

lights down everything's closed
I sit outside in the rain that pins me here
you were in the trinity of my beating heart
I should have known when my heart fell from the horse
to something less than me
you were in the trinity of my beating heart
from all the rain the vines have grown over
and trap me here inside my home
there's a fence that's tired and old
escape the grove
you were the trinity of my beating heart
I should have known when my heart fell from the horse
to something less than me
you were in the trinity of my beating heart

-the black heart procession
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RSI5qiJtf4

xoxo

You can buy this online for $300 and $7.00 S&H The picture of it is here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64717878/loved-to-death-x-bloodmilk-you-were-in?ref=sr_gallery_17&ga_search_submit&ga_search_query=squirrel+rings&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

I've never heard of such a thing!

I have no problem with deaf people. A best friend of mine has an adult deaf daughter and we can communicate because she reads lips. She married a deaf man that she met in a college for deaf people.

I could be the problem in a relationship with a deaf person though. I've tried to learn sign language and it's not easy for me. Communication is important.

Sorry, folks. It used to be called "deaf and dumb" and now the new, politically correct term is "deaf-mute".



deaf-and-dumb adj.

both deaf and unable to speak; without the sense of hearing or the faculty of speech. Same as Deaf-mute.


http://www.answers.com/topic/deaf-and-dumb

I like quite a few of their songs. My top faves are Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites The Dust, and Somebody to Love.

I'm leaning towards "Bohemian Rhapsody" though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp8CNj9qBI

Hi and welcome to Mingle2.

I've never met a stud before.

Awww...that is sooo sweet!

Matthew 24:36

No one knows that day and hour:

36 But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Hello and welcome to Mingle2.