Contempt charges against Disciples minister dropped

This just in....from the Commercial Appeal, in Memphis, Tenn.

The state Court of Appeals has dismissed contempt charges against Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church's senior pastor Dr. Frank A. Thomas and church leaders, saying Chancery Court lacked jurisdiction in the matter.

"It's the result I expected all along. We were on the right side of the issue," said John Golwen, Thomas' attorney. "No doubt about it, it's been difficult, but this is a big relief."

The decision brought to a close a bitter chapter in the storied congregation's history, one that saw members pitted against church leaders amidst allegations of financial misconduct.

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U.S. Military Covertly Pays to Run Stories in Iraqi Press

The LA Times reported on Nov. 30 that the US military has hired consultants who pose as freelance journalists to write favorable stories about US military operations in Iraq, and then pay the Iraqi newspapers to run these stories.

NPR also interviewed Times journalist Mark Mazetti yesterday about it on "Talk of the Nation."

One Pentagon official who disagrees with the practice summed up nicely what's so wrong about it: "Here we are trying to create the principles of democracy in Iraq. Every speech we give in that country is about democracy. And we're breaking all the first principles of democracy when we're doing it."