Quadruplets marching off to military

It’s as if a golfing Uncle Sam yelled, “Fore!” and Berks County’s 18-year-old Pollock quadruplets heard a number and dutifully answered the call.

Graduating from Wilson High School last week, Erin, Stephanie, Brandon and William, Berks’ first quads, born Aug. 6, 1992, to Jim, now 46, and Kim, now 44, of Spring Township, will be donning Pennsylvania Army National Guard uniforms.

“Three of the four had their first drills this month,” said Sgt. 1st Class James E. Waid, 39, of Fleetwood, their recruiting officer.

“I’ve already started crying because they will always be my babies. I’m a mother,” said Kim, who works in the county’s 9-1-1- emergency call center. “But I am very proud of them, and I support their decision.”

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Southern Baptists push to overcome racist past

Southern Baptists meeting in Phoenix adopted a plan Tuesday to try to boost minorities in their top leadership posts as they face continuing reports of stagnant baptism rates and declining membership.

Members of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination backed the recommendation for intentionally including minorities as nominees for positions, speakers at the annual meeting, and staff recruited for its seminaries and mission boards.

Before the vote, Executive Committee President and CEO Frank Page acknowledged the need for “measurable information” to help Southern Baptists evaluate their progress on ethnic relations.

“I believe we are living in a day and time where there will be increased ethnic involvement and increased sensitivity to ethnic diversity within our convention,” Page pledged to the more than 4,000 Baptists at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The move toward greater diversity comes as the predominantly white denomination grapples with a 2010 baptism rate that was down 5% from 2009 and a 0.15% drop in membership — the fourth consecutive year of decline.

The recommendation was the result of two years of study after a Korean pastor from Boston requested an examination of how ethnic churches and their leaders could be more actively involved.

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Strongman plans to slay lion and revive Egyptian tourism trade

Known for his feats of strength, Mr al Essawy, 25, has announced plans to battle a 10-year-old, 280-kilogram lion named Samson to the death on June 25.

The bout has economic and political motivations. Mr al Essawy believes it will draw tourists to Egypt, which is suffering from a steep drop in visitors after the revolution. But he also says it will represent his abhorrence of the violent acts of Israel.

“When I conquer the lion, I will put an Israeli flag on him and step on the lion,” he says. “I am not against a Jewish state or the security of Israel, but they should be punished for their attacks on Palestinian people.”

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