Good News for March 2, 2009 (posted by Mary Beth)

The British vs. Darwin: The Intelligence of Design


"Judging by church attendance, it seems the British have lost their religion. Although 71 percent of Brits identify themselves as Christians, only 10 percent go to church weekly. Only one in four attends church even once a year."

Read the rest of Chuck Colson's commentary here.


In Afghanistan, the idea of women's rights starts to take hold

"Mariam was 11 in 2003 when her parents forced her to marry a blind, 41-year-old cleric. The bride price of $1,200 helped Mariam's father, a drug addict, pay off a debt."

Click here to read the rest of the story.


Microsoft mapping course to a Jetsons-style future

"Meet Laura, the virtual personal assistant for those of us who cannot afford a human one.

Built by researchers at Microsoft, Laura appears as a talking head on a screen. You can speak to her and ask her to handle basic tasks like booking appointments for meetings or scheduling a flight."

Step into the future here.


Tiger trappers rushing to rescue: Indonesians race to protect animals from humans, extinction

"Indonesia's tiger catchers have a double job—protecting humans from tigers and tigers from humans.

The elite teams of rangers and conservationists rush to the scene every time villagers report attacks or sightings of endangered Sumatran tigers. If there are signs the animal is nearby, they return with steel cage traps, live bait, heat-sensitive cameras and other equipment to capture the magnificent beasts."

Learn more about the situation here.


Kenner gets professional help for its Rivertown museums

"The fist-sized holes in the 8-foot papier-mache king cake at Kenner's Mardi Gras Museum suggest a recent visit by a hungry giant. But Csilla Felker-Dennis has a more plausible explanation.

'This is the kind of thing that happens when children climb up on an object,' she said."

Get more on the story here.



How Do You Choose a Biblical Translation?

"Prior to 1881, when Protestants went to 'Ye Ole Christian Bookstore,' it would be very easy to choose a Bible for purchase. You had the option of the King James Version and… the King James Version. Today’s trip to the local bookstore would create a bigger challenge with the numerous translations of the Bible available. King James is still there, but along with it is the New King James Version, New International Version, the New American Standard Version, the New Living Translation, the English Standard Version, the New English Translation, the Amplified, the Message, and many more."

Click here to learn more about Bible translations.