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      June 25, 2008

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     An America Dream

 

   

Given the popular perception that Americans have become more liberal, it may be of surprise to hear that most people still embrace traditional family values as the foundation of the American dream. More than 75 percent of all American adults said their ideal life includes having good physical health (listed by 85 percent), living with a high degree of integrity (85 percent), having one marriage partner for life (80 percent), having a clear purpose for living (77 percent), having a close relationship with God (75 percent), and having close, personal friendships (74 percent), according to a Barna report released Monday. Interestingly, these top six factors of an American dream life have remained relatively unchanged over the years that the Barna Group has conducted such a survey. "Stability rules," George Barna, who has overseen this research since 1991, noted. "Out of nineteen factors, only two have seen even a ten-point shift in nearly two decades. That’s rather remarkable consistency.” He further commented that while the nation has experienced significant changes in laws in the last quarter-century, what Americans seek are “traditional family values: a single marriage for life, a solid family experience, displaying good character, living a life that has meaning and impact, and having an active faith.” Read On

 
   
 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/photogalleries/FBI/The FBI said Wednesday that 300 people were arrested and 433 young victims recovered in a round-up of child prostitution suspects. "The mission of the 'Innocence Lost' national initiative is to combat the growing problem of sexual exploitation of children through prostitution," said Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller in making the announcement at headquarters. Among those arrested are pimps and prostitutes — some of whom are in their 20s but are said to have admitted selling sex since their early teens, federal law enforcement sources told FOX News. The raids took place in run-down neighborhoods and interstate truck stops in cities across the country, the sources said. The vast majority of those arrested will be charged under state and local statutes. The FBI was touting the fifth year of its child protection program with the news of the multitude of arrests that stemmed from "Operation Cross Country" — launched late last week in 16 large and medium-sized cities including Dallas, Boston and Rockville, Md., among others. Mueller was joined by Ernie Allen of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in speaking about the program and the round-up at Wednesday's press conference in Washington.

 

Police are calling the death of a pregnant soldier "suspicious" after officials found her body Sunday at a Fayetteville, N.C., motel just days after she arrived at Fort Bragg from Germany. Spc. Megan Lynn Touma was identified Tuesday, two days after her body was found in a motel room after guests complained of a foul odor. The 23-year-old dental specialist with the 19th Replacement Company was from Cold Spring, Ky., and was born in Seoul, South Korea. The Fayetteville Police Department called the death suspicious. Police told FOX affiliate WRAL-TV that it appeared Touma had been dead for a couple of days and the condition of her body made it difficult to determine the cause of death. Authorities said in a statement that Touma was seven months' pregnant at the time. Touma had just arrived at Fort Bragg less than two weeks ago after spending three years assigned to the United States Army Dental Activity Clinic Bavaria in Bamberg, Germany. “We want to convey the pride we feel in the job Spc. Megan Touma was doing serving our country,” members of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg command group told the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. “The loss of Spc. Touma is very tragic and our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go out to the loved ones she leaves behind.”  Pregnant GI's Death 'Suspicious'

 

An ex-convict was found guilty Tuesday in the rape and torture of a Columbia University graduate student who survived 19 hours of nightmarish sadism in which he scalded her with boiling water and attempted to blind her before trying to burn her to death. Robert Williams was convicted of attempted murder, rape, kidnapping, arson and other charges in the attack, which was so prolonged and agonizing that the victim begged her tormentor to kill her and later tried to kill herself. The verdict followed a gruesome trial that included dramatic testimony from the victim, who said the 31-year-old Williams made her swallow fistfuls of painkillers, ordered her to gouge out her eyes with scissors, sealed her lips with super glue and gagged her with duct tape before torching her apartment. Williams, who was found guilty of all but two of 46 counts, was not in court to hear the verdict read. The judge said that when Williams was told a verdict had been reached, he simply turned over in his courthouse cell and went back to sleep. "He didn't have any more reaction to that than he has had to anything else," said Williams' attorney Arnold Levine. The victim and her relatives, in the front row of the courtroom, showed no reaction while the verdicts were read. Her father, on behalf of the family, later declined to comment. Ex-Con Found Guilty of 19-Hour Rape, Torture of Coed

 
 

Sadie and Pyper Vance have had just about enough of high gas prices. The sisters are still years away from being old enough to drive, but that doesn't mean the $4 per gallon price tag isn't hitting them as hard as anyone else. Cable TV was one of the family's budget-cutting casualties, leaving Sadie, 9, and her 7-year-old sister without their favorite cartoons and shows. "Gas prices are too high," Sadie said. "I just decided to come and protest so they'd go down."  The girls marched through downtown Monday chanting and carrying signs made from old campaign signs. "All of my mom's monny goes to the gas tank!" Pyper's sign read. Sadie carried a sign asking drivers to honk to lower gas prices — adding that her mom had to cut "cabel." The girls got some waves and a few thumbs-up to show support. "I think it's great," said Hamid Tayeb, who was walking past on his lunch break. "It's unfortunate that kids are doing it before we do."

 
 
 
 

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