Two snippits here, one laughable and the other a bit more serious.

First off from Australia, it’s been reported that “Family First” want to promote the preaching, sorry, teaching of creationism in schools as an alternative to evolution.

Unfortunately the newspapers that reported this require you to register, so I can’t just point to an article about this (it appeared on the front page of Thursdays “The Age” as you can see from this Google News search). What I can do though is link to their letter page for handhelds that doesn’t require registration. It’s interesting (and encouraging) to note that the first two letters attacking “Family First”‘s position are from ministers!

On the more serious side in the US right wing conservatives are attempting to sneak in an abortion-related clause into spending legislation that must pass if various government agencies are to continue operating. This was reported originally in the New York Times (that also requires registration) but through the power of Google News I’ve found the story reprinted in Floridas Herald Tribune.

It appears that rather than be up front about things they have inserted a clause in a bill that everyone has a vested interest in having passed so they can go home for the holidays – oh, and keep the government running..