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Terri Schiavo "Very Much Alive and Responsive" according to Schindler Attorneys

PINELLAS PARK, Florida, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Terri Schiavo, the now famous, brain-disabled daughter of Robert and Mary Schindler, is "very much alive and responsive," according to the attorneys of Schiavo's parents.

The Schindler's were allowed a rare visit Christmas Eve; they were accompanied by their new attorneys, David Gibbs III and Barbara Weller. Gibbs and Weller, of Gibbs Law Firm in Seminole, FL, took on the role of lead counsel for the Schindlers in September of 2004.

The Christmas Eve visit was the first time either of the attorneys had been able to see Terri since taking the case. They made the visit with Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and members of her immediate family.

Counsel was able to personally verify the fact that Terri is not in a coma or even in a comatose state. She was purposefully interactive, curious and expressive with her parents during the entire 45-minute visit. Mrs. Weller wrote a moving narrative describing in detail her reactions and observations during this visit.

"When she heard their voices, and particularly her mother's voice, Terri instantly turned her head towards them and smiled," Weller said. "Terri established eye contact with her family, particularly with her mother, who spent the most time with her during our visit. It was obvious that she recognized the voices in the room with the exception of one."

Read Weller's narrative online at: http://www.terrisfight.org/ (Look for link at top of page.)

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Pro-Family Film Shunned by Hollywood Now a Great Success

GRAND RAPIDS, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A film rejected by Hollywood distributors has set a record for the longest test screening in history -- 55 weeks -- set at the Michigan theatre where it has been playing since December 2003. The pro-family, feel-good comedy, Uncle Nino, out-endured every other film released in the US in 2004, including The Passion of the Christ.

Made for only US $2.9 million and shot in 25 days, Uncle Nino is the story of "an eccentric Italian relative whose visit helps heal a fractured American family," according to a telegraph.co.uk report.

The test-screening was expected to last two weeks, but because of the massive popularity at the Grand Rapids cinema where it debuted, Uncle Nino continues to be shown.

Hollywood distributors all initially rejected the movie. The Grand Rapids theatre that screened the movie did so only after being persuaded by a friend of the film's creator. The producers have finally landed a distribution contract and Uncle Nino will be released in the U.S. in February, and Internationally later in 2005.

The film is the work of Chicago director Robert Shallcross, writer of the 1994 movie Little Giants, who has spent the intervening years directing television commercials.

"I wanted to tell a story about an American family that was missing out on some of the simple, important pleasures in life," he said. He said the hectic pace of advertising that left him little time to spend with his four children was the inspiration for writing the movie.

Actor Pierrino Mascarino, who plays the Italian uncle, has traveled on several occasions to the Grand Rapids cinema, "appearing at screenings unannounced and in character and hugging audience members as they leave."

Read Telegraph coverage: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=ODYH03F3FGO1RQFIQMFSNAGAVCB...

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Saskatchewan Commissioners Resigning or Refusing to "Marry" Homosexuals

REGINA, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Eight Saskatchewan marriage commissioners have resigned because of new laws requiring them to "marry" same-sex couples, according to Justice Minister Frank Quennell. Three others said they would go to court if they were fired for refusing to "marry" same-sex couples, according to Saskatoon Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott.

If same-sex couples are refused "marriage" by a commissioner, the complaint will be reviewed by the Justice Department, Quennell said Tuesday, as reported by the Saskatchewan News Network.

"We'd have to investigate the circumstances and potentially remove their power to perform civil marriages because they weren't willing to administer the law as it stands," he said.

Vellacott said the government should be willing to accommodate the religious convictions of its marriage commissioners, as prescribed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code. "You've got specifically the conscience right and religion right that are very explicit (in the charter)," Vellacott said.

Regina marriage commissioner Orville Nichols said he would sue the government rather than resign if challenged for refusing to officiate at a same-sex "marriage."

"I will definitely not resign," Nichols said. "If something like this happens, I'm prepared to go to court . . . We got a letter from them saying that we must do it and if we don't, we're breaking the law and we could lose our commission appointment."

"My definition of marriage is opposite -- male and female -- not two males and two females," Nichols emphasized. "That's why I oppose it."

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Taiwanese Research Team Finds New Source of Stem Cells in Placenta

TAIPEI, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The two possible sources of stem cells, "adult" or post-natal stem cells and those derived from living embryos, have caused a conflict in the scientific community, setting ethics against hoped-for scientific advancement.

Now a group of Taiwanese researchers has isolated stem cells from human placenta tissue and has found that their flexibility may be the equal of embryonic cells. The scientists, from National Health Research Institutes and Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, have isolated stem cells from placentas left after full term pregnancy and offer them as a solution to the ethical impasse.

The researchers have developed bone marrow and other cells from the stem cells extracted from the placenta and say that there may be future applications for brain damage or bone fractures.

The newly discovered cells, called placenta-derived multipotent cells (PDMCs), are available from an organ that is normally discarded after birth. "Unlike embryonic stem cells, PDMCs are free from ethical considerations," said Chen Yao-chang, head of the National Health Research Institutes' Stem Cell Research Center, told reporters.

Much like cord blood, this source of stem cells may be applicable in a variety therapies without the dangers of tissue rejection common to embryonic and fetal cell transplants. The cells are also available without the painful and difficult surgery necessary to extract stem cells from bone marrow.

Read the research abstract in
The International Journal of Cell Differentiation and Proliferation:
http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org/cgi/content/abstract/23/1/3

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Cross Display Barred During Bush Inauguration?

WASHINGTON, January 5, 2005 (CWNews.com/LifeSiteNews.com) - The Washington-based Christian Defense Coalition is protesting a proposed ban on the display of crosses during inauguration ceremonies for President George W. Bush.

In a December 17 letter to the National Park Service, the Secret Service asked for a ban on numerous items during the inauguration festivities. The Secret Service sought a ban on potentially dangerous items such as firearms, explosives, and laser pointers; but the list of proscribed items also included "coffins, crates, crosses, crates theaters, and statues." No explanation was given for the inclusion of crosses on the list. The Christian Defense Coalition, which was planning to hold a prayer vigil during the inaugural parade, received a permit that listed the banned items, including crosses.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, decried the ban on crosses as a clear form of "religious bigotry and censorship." The restriction is even more offensive, he added, "when one realizes that it is only Christian symbols that have been excluded." The Secret Service regulations explicitly allow bullhorns and signs of up to 20 feet in length.

Mahoney announced that members of his group "will be on the public sidewalks holding crosses at the inauguration parade even if that means risking arrest and jail."

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Baseball Bat Abortion Leads to Criminal Charges Against Teen Father

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich., January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith authorized criminal charges yesterday against a sixteen-year-old Richmond male accused of killing his girlfriend's unborn child with a souvenir baseball bat.

The charge, Intentional conduct against a pregnant individual resulting in miscarriage or stillbirth, is a felony punishable by up to fifteen years imprisonment.

According to Michigan State Police detectives, the young mother and the male youth intentionally caused the death of the unborn child by striking the mother's abdomen with the twenty-two inch bat over the course of two weeks. The parents of the youths were apparently unaware of the pregnancy and the decision to abort it.

The actions of the youths first came to light when the female spoke about the series of incidents after the fact at a high school leadership conference in the upper peninsula. The conference's adult facilitator, hearing of the incidents leading to the miscarriage, contacted the State Police.

The report of the county's medical examiner indicates that the fetus was premature and not viable at the time of the miscarriage. The report lists the cause of death as blunt impact of the maternal abdomen.

Prosecutor Smith is relying on law created by the Michigan Legislature in 1999. According to that law, only the person making the intentional conduct against the pregnant individual is criminally liable. The pregnant individual herself, however complicit in the termination, is not.

The male, because of his age and lack of prior contacts with the criminal justice system, will be adjudicated in the juvenile court. If convicted, he would be subject to the jurisdiction of that court until he is twenty-one years old.

The mother, also sixteen years old, will not be charged with a crime. Prosecutor Smith said the defendant must plead guilty as charged or face trial.

"This crime is shocking and reprehensible," he said. "I will not entertain any plea bargaining on it."

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Study Fails to Show Easy Access To Morning After Pill Cuts Pregnancy Rate

WASHINGTON, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A study of the abortifacient morning after pill published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association has undermined the central argument that promoters of the pill have put forward to justify over the counter access to the pills in pharmacies.

The study of 2,117 women found no significant difference in pregnancy rates among women who were given the pills than those who had to go to a health provider to obtain them. Tina R. Raine, the lead researcher and herself a main proponent of the pills, commented, "That was definitely a disappointing finding."

The finding did not deter Raine from recommending that access to the pills be made easier. However pro-life groups note that such recommendations ignore the health risks associated with the drugs as well as the fact that most women using them are not informed of their abortifacient effect.

Raine claimed that the study did not find that the women given the pills were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour.

See the journal article online at:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/293/1/54

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Consumer Reports Charged with Bias over Coverage of Birth Control Pills

WASHINGTON, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The February 2005 issue of Consumer Reports focuses on birth control methods. In addition to grading the effectiveness of condoms, the report also addresses the birth control pill. However, in mentioning how the pill works, the consumer advocacy organization fails to mention the abortifacient effect of the pill.

"Every pharmacist in America should know how the birth control pill can prevent a newly-created human being from implanting in his mother's womb," said American Life League president Judie Brown. "So why has Consumer Reports refused to share that fact with women seeking objective information about birth control?"

Since full information on how birth control pills work is posted on patient information sheets and in such sources as the Physician's Desk Reference, it is a known fact that the birth control pill can work in one of three ways. The pill is designed to: prevent ovulation, cause the mucus in the cervix to change so that sperm cannot enter, or change the lining of the uterus so that if the first two actions fail, and the woman does become pregnant, the tiny baby will die before he or she can actually attach to the lining of the uterus.

"If this organization is serious about presenting fair, balanced, unbiased information about this 'product,' it needs to include the most important fact about this drug: the birth control pill can and will kill preborn babies," said Brown.

American Life League has called upon Consumer Reports to issue a correction and tell the full story about the deadly nature of the pill. "We also encourage all concerned citizens to write to Consumer Reports and express their concerns about the exclusion of such important information from the report."

The address is Consumer Reports, 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703-1057.

See the Consumer Reports reviews:
http://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv2.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=19487&FOLDE...
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CTV Television Airs Special on Canada's Most Notorious Abortionist

TORONTO, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Wednesday evening at 9 p.m., the CTV television network aired an alleged biography of Canada's most ballyhooed abortionist and signer of the anti-religious humanist manifesto, Henry Morgentaler. The CTV lionization of the man who helped to change Canada's abortion laws by flagrantly and repeatedly breaking Canadian criminal law is titled "Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story.''

Morgentaler has long been a darling of the Canadian establishment, not a challenger of it, as often portrayed in Canada's media. A former associate of his, now turned pro-life activist, claims that Morgentaler used to boast loudly about how much money he was being given by governments to do his killing work including, as was found after a freedom of information request, $5 million from the Ontario government just for security at his Toronto clinic.

Morgentaler is currently fending off a $185,000 lawsuit over an alleged botched abortion at his Ottawa clinic. A client alleges that in August 2003, an abortion was performed on her at that site without anesthetic due to an inability to insert an IV. Immediately after the abortion, she claims, she experienced cramping and bleeding, which continued for weeks. The woman was later admitted to an Ottawa hospital to have a placenta and remains of a fetus removed.

The Morgentaler Files website at http://www.interlife.org/morgentaler documents a number of other transgressions by the famed Canadian abortionist over the years, which have predictably received little if any media attention. These include his improper reuse of medical instruments, his admission that he simply flushes aborted fetuses down the drain, his method of allegedly stuffing a sanitary napkin in a woman's mouth to stop her from screaming in pain, a $725,000 award against his Halifax clinic for negligence and more.

This is not the first time CTV has taken a slap at pro-life, pro-family Canadians. In the recent past, it repeatedly aired a biased take on the Marc Hall case which concerned a Catholic high school student who won a court battle to permit him to take a homosexual partner to the school prom, in blatant violation of Catholic moral teachings. That movie was assailed for being deliberately calculated to offend Catholic sensibilities.

CTV has also aired anti-Catholic material on its programs Comedy Inc. and the now-cancelled Mike Bullard Show. In 2000, CTVs W-5 program targeted pro-life crisis-pregnancy centres by sneaking in a hidden-camera-carrying volunteer to the Toronto Aid to Women centre and filming everything going on there for about a week.

Significantly, CTV is owned by Bell Globemedia (http://www.bellglobemedia.ca/x/), which also owns the Globe and Mail which, in turn, gained notoriety for running a massive spread (penned by rabid pro-abortion feminist Heather Mallick) early in 2003 that clamoured for Morgentaler to be named to the Order of Canada. It appears that Wednesday's bio-pic is the latest effort by the Bell Globemedia conglomerate to attempt to prop abortionist Morgentaler up to hero status in the eyes of the Canadian public.

According to an Ipsos Reid poll (http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=2483), three-quarters (73 per cent) of young women aged 18-34 in Canada don't know who Henry Morgentaler is.

CTV may be contacted at:
CTV Television Network
P.O. Box 9, Station O
Scarborough, Ontario
M4A 2M9
Telephone: (416) 332-5000
E-mail:

See related previous LifeSiteNews.com report:
Atheists Want God to be Removed From Canada's Constitution
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/1999/jun/99060402.html

TG/SJ

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LifeSiteNews.com NewsBytes

12-Year-Old Daughter Homeschooled In Forest Camp Excels Over 7th Grade Government Educated Equivalents
http://www.katu.com/printstory.asp?ID=67497

Pro-abortion zealot Christine Todd Whitman criticizes former boss George Bush
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/04/wbush04.xml&sShe...

Can the unborn save future generations?
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42231

Death with vanity
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/04/EDG...

Blago logic: abortion okay for 15-year olds but video games not?
http://www.illinoisleader.com/printer/article.asp?c=21801

Woman, 59, Admits She's Not Carrying Twins
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050104/D87DG9PO0.html

Humanists and atheists look to higher profile
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3146200a12,00.html

Virginia to consider amendment on marriage
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20050103-114815-5456r.htm

Satanic Murders 'Tip Of Iceberg' - Catholic Church
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/01/05/1104832158912.html?oneclick=true

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