Lake Michigan waves neared record territory Friday as gale-force winds churned the waters into massive breakers on shorelines around the state.

The southern buoy, located in the middle of the lake due west of Holland, recorded a 21.7-foot wave height earlier this afternoon. That mark ties for the second tallest height ever recorded for that buoy, according to the National Weather Service in Chicago. MORE

It’s the burning question of the day: “Will the state of the U.S. economy affect your Halloween plans?” asks a National Retail Federation survey to some 6,300 respondents.

The answer: 81 percent said dismal financial reports would not deter them from whooping it up on Friday and throughout the weekend. The practical translation: Americans will spend $7.4 billion on Halloween this year, the industry group says — that includes $350 million that will go towards pet costumes. MORE

Cardinal Burke, why didn’t you tell this to Paul VI? You’re 50 years too late!

Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the highest court in the Catholic Church, has said that despite recent murmurs that the Church’s views about marriage and divorce are evolving, the Pope does not have the authority to reinterpret Christ’s teachings against divorce. MORE

Indian security forces poured in, beginning a face-off last month that grew to involve more than 1,000 troops on each side at an altitude of roughly 15,000 feet, according to Indian officials, making it the biggest border confrontation between the two nations in decades.

The mountain standoff lasted weeks and at times involved tense shoving-and-shouting matches, according to Indian border-patrol troopers who participated. Both armies called in helicopters. The scale and duration of the clash are signs of mounting friction between the world’s two most-populous countries. MORE

No NATO countries are more worried about Kremlin aggression than the Baltic states, with their small militaries and lack of strategic depth — countries that are frankly indefensible in any conventional sense without significant and timely Alliance assistance.

But Poland is the real issue when it comes to defending NATO’s exposed Eastern frontier from Russian aggression. MORE

Most people in the English-speaking parts of the world missed Putin’s speech at the Valdai conference in Sochi a few days ago, and, chances are, those of you who have heard of the speech didn’t get a chance to read it, and missed its importance. (For your convenience, I am posting in the full transcript of his speech below.) Western media did their best to ignore it or to twist its meaning. MORE

“A little piece inside of me died today with this, it broke my heart,” said Biggs during a subsequent appearance on the Alex Jones Show.

The petition that students were asked to sign stated that, “Killing a newborn could be ethically permissible in all the circumstances where abortion would be. This post-birth abortion can take place until a newborn is self-aware or reaches 5 years old.” MORE

Believe it or not it’s cheaper using high octane gas then regular, especially on long trips. The reason being is that you will get at least two more miles per gallon more than regular . 10 gallons regular, say $3.50 = $35.00 Premium  $3.70 X 10 = $37.00.  $2.00 more.  Miles gained 20. Most cars average 20 miles per gallon. You save one gallon at $3.50 gallon minus $2.00 more. Subtract the $3.50, you saved $1.50 per 10 gallons of gas and you get better car performance plus a cleaner engine. MORE

Dear Sirs, while I stand before you today, the earth of the Middle East is soaked with the blood of Christians being killed daily. Do you know that at the start of the 20^th century, Christians comprised 20% of the population of the Middle East?  MORE

A good article but on Mothers not willing to hire any outside help I would have to add that most can’t afford to. MORE

Excerpt – “A priest from Chester County is behind bars, charged with posing as a young girl on Instagram to send and receive child pornography.
55-year-old Mark Haynes, a priest assigned to Saints Simon and Jude Parish in Westtown Township, is with multiple counts of sexual abuse of children for possessing and disseminating child porn.” MORE

New “sticks” of Pope Francis, the pastor of mercy and forgiveness, but not all. After the severe beatings inflicted on the pedophile priests, were now being targeted – albeit indirect metaphorical beatings – are the priests Lefebvrist as one of the bishops closer and heard by Bergoglio, Bishop Marcello Semeraro, banned from celebrating Mass and give the sacraments (baptisms, first communions, confirmations, weddings …) as if they were incardinated in the universal Catholic Church. MORE