| Feed the Minds asks Christians to support female literacy for Lent
Christian international development charity Feed the Minds (FTM) is appealing to the Christian community to lend its support to female literacy for its 2008 Lent Appeal. The charity currently supports literacy projects within 20 countries across the Globe, designed to help women gain basic literacy skills that will benefit the individuals, their families and wider community. One such project is based in Afghanistan, where under the Taliban regime there was no female education, girl's schools were burned down and women were forbidden to work. Today, women's literacy in the country stands at only 12.5 per cent. Feed the Minds has developed literacy programmes centred on health and hygiene, with the most vulnerable in society, such as orphans or widows, selected to participate.
Ricardo Moraes / Associated Press
Anna," about four black American soldiers stationed in Tuscany during World War II who become caught behind enemy lines (fall).
CREATURE COMFORTS: SCI-FI FANTASIES
NEW YORK is no place to be in "Cloverfield," a modestly budgeted film about a monster who destroys the city (Jan. 18). The film is produced by "Alias' " J.J. Abrams, who steps in as director to steer the 11th "Star Trek" film into space with a young crew on board. Another TV talent stepping behind the camera is "X-Files" creator Chris Carter, who makes his feature directing debut with July's untitled "X-Files" sequel, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
BATTLE OF THE SEXES: ROMANTIC COMEDIES
THERE are enough romances on the horizon to keep hearts fluttering -- Patrick Dempsey realizes he loves his friend in "Made of Honor" (May 2); Ryan Reynolds is a divorcing dad in "Definitely, Maybe" (Feb.
Evolutionists At War Over Altruism’s Origins
An intellectual war of words has broken out between two of the world's leading evolutionists. Oxford University's Richard Dawkins and Harvard's Edward Wilson have gone head to head over the evolution of altruism in the animal kingdom, and whether it can have come about as a result of something called group selection.The subject matter of their dispute is social insects, particularly ants, which display a supreme form of altruism in that sterile workers lay down their lives for the benefit of their fertile colleagues in the colony. Conventional Darwinian theory could not really explain why one individual should sacrifice its own life, and its precious genes, for the benefit of another individual, unless it could be viewed in terms of group selection, when indi-viduals do it for the benefit of the colony or the species.
Schools abuzz with contests
Bee season is taking off at area schools, at least when it comes to competitions called bees. From December to January, most elementary and middle schools host spelling bees in preparation for the upcoming county bee. Also, some schools are now participating in geography bees sponsored by the National Geographic Society. At least three schools in Fayetteville - Holt Middle School, Ramay Junior High and Leverett Elementary - held spelling bees this week, their students' first week back from winter break. Schools that hosted spelling bees in December included Asbell Elementary. The winners of the school-level spelling competitions advance to the Washington County Spelling Bee, scheduled for Feb. 9 at the Fayetteville Public Library. The competition is generally open to students from third through eighth grades.
Dixie in Ruston welcomes 'Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes'
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Awaiting Iraq war's end so families may reunite
What do you think when you see the same images day after day? Do you wonder why and try to make a change or turn your head and look away? To question the rationale or reason has often been grounds for treason. Force overriding force, might makes right. Is that what we teach our children when we tuck them in at night? The funeral parlors and headstone makers have been very busy keeping up with demand. Nearly 4,000 soldiers dead so far with their blood on "The Decider's" hands. How many funerals has he attended? The newspapers say none. Nearly 4,000 soldiers dead so far: 4,000 lost daughters and sons; 4,000 folded flags given to families who will never be the same; 4,000 families weeping for their loved ones whose deaths are such a shame. It isn't much fun to see your friends buried with no end in sight.
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