Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Unethical High School Ethics
Dec 27th, 2008
Daily NewsTBC Dec. 26 2008
Categories: Today's Headlines;Moral Decline

Lie, Cheat and Steal: High School Ethics Surveyed [Excerpts]

In the past year, 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test, according to a new, large-scale survey suggesting that Americans are too apathetic about ethical standards.

The Josephson Institute, a Los Angeles-based ethics institute, surveyed 29,760 students at 100 randomly selected high schools nationwide, both public and private. All students in the selected schools were given the survey in class; their anonymity was assured.

Michael Josephson, the institute's founder and president, said he was most dismayed by the findings about theft. The survey found that 35 percent of boys and 26 percent of girls--30 percent overall--acknowledged stealing from a store within the past year. One-fifth said they stole something from a friend; 23 percent said they stole something from a parent or other relative.

"What is the social cost of that--not to mention the implication for the next generation of mortgage brokers?" Josephson remarked in an interview. "In a society drenched with cynicism, young people can look at it and say 'Why shouldn't we? Everyone else does it.'"

Other findings from the survey:
Cheating in school is rampant and getting worse. Sixty-four percent of students cheated on a test in the past year and 38 percent did so two or more times, up from 60 percent and 35 percent in a 2006 survey.
Thirty-six percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent in 2004.
Despite such responses, 93 percent of the students said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character, and 77 percent affirmed that, "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know."

[TBC: As we have noted in past issues, the teaching of "self esteem" has repeatedly been shown to encourage sinful behavior

Obama the Most Admired Man in the World, American Poll Says
Dec 27th, 2008
Daily NewsAP Dec.26 2008
Categories: Today's Headlines

Americans say President-elect Barack Obama is the most admired man in the world, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll. Photograph: Brian Kersey/Getty Images

President-elect Barack Obama is the man Americans say they admire most in the world, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll published today.

32% of those questioned said Obama was the man they most admired compared with 5% for President George W Bush who came in second. Defeated Republican presidential candidate John McCain came in third with 3%.

Hillary Clinton leads the list of most admired women with 20%, according to the poll. She has held this spot for 13 of the past 16 years, as first lady, then New York senator and now Obama's choice to be secretary of state.

Alaska governor Sarah Palin, unknown in much of the US until she became the Republican party's vice presidential candidate in the November elections, was the second most admired woman with 11%. Television talk show host Oprah Winfrey is third with 8%.

The only other time a president-elect has led the poll since Gallup began asking in 1948 was in 1952 when Dwight Eisenhower topped the list. Obama takes office January 20.

The survey of 1,008 adults, taken by phone December 12-14, has an error margin of plus or minus 3%.

Israel Attacks Gaza, More Than 155 Reported Killedisrael Attacks Gaza, More Than 155 Reported Killed
Dec 27th, 2008
Daily NewsReuters Dec.26 2008
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

Reuters Photo: A wounded Palestinian is rushed to the hospital after Israeli air force attacked Gaza City...

GAZA - Israeli warplanes and combat helicopters pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 155 people in the bloodiest day for Palestinians in more than 20 years.

Palestinian militants responded with rocket salvoes that killed an Israeli man and wounded several others, medics said.

Black smoke billowed over Gaza City, where the dead and wounded lay scattered on the ground after more than 30 air strikes destroyed several security compounds, including two where Hamas was hosting graduation ceremonies for new recruits.

Among the dead were the Hamas-appointed police chief, Tawfiq Jabber, the head of Hamas's security and protection unit, and the governor of central Gaza, according to medical workers.

At the main police headquarters, some rescue workers beat their heads and shouted "God is greatest" as one badly wounded man lying nearby quietly recited verses from the Koran.

The Israeli military said it had targeted "terrorist infrastructure" following days of rocket attacks from Gaza on Israel and pledged more strikes if necessary, possibly targeting leaders of the Hamas Islamist militant group.

Hamas threatened to unleash "hell" to avenge the dead, including possible suicide bombings inside Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the Israeli air campaign was "criminal" and called for the international community to intervene.

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana called for an immediate ceasefire. "We are very concerned at the events in Gaza. We call for an immediate ceasefire and urge everybody to exert maximum restraint," his spokesman said.