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The McCain-Palin campaign said Sunday that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has used only one-third of the $150,000 in clothing and cosmetics that the Republican National Committee purchased for her in high-end shopping sprees after she was chosen to run with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

McCain said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “some third of that money is given back — the rest will be donated to charity.”

“She lives a frugal life,” McCain said. “She and her family are not wealthy. She and her family were thrust into this,” McCain said. “She is a role model to millions and millions and millions of Americans.”

Palin’s spokeswoman, Tracey Schmitt, elaborated: "A third was returned post-convention. Many of the remaining clothes have never been worn. She wears a lot of her own clothes from Alaska. Regardless, what wasn't returned will go to charity after Election Day."

Campaign officials said they did not have information about when the clothing had been returned, or dollar amounts. Previously, the campaign had not mentioned returns, but said the clothing would be donated to charity.

“We've been saying this for the most part all along; although it hasn't exactly broken through,” one aide said.

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday after an exclusive interview with Palin: “’That whole thing is just, bad!’ she said. ‘Oh, if people only knew how frugal we are. It's kind of painful to be criticized for something when all the facts are not out there and are not reported,’ said Palin, saying the clothes are not worth $150,000 and were bought for the Republican National Convention. Still, she has been wearing pricey clothes at campaign events this fall. She said they will be given back, auctioned off or sent to charity. Most of them, she said, haven't even left the belly of her campaign plane.”


http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14952.html

A widow is battling to use sperm taken from the body of her dead husband, in a British legal first.

The woman, who cannot be named, wants to use sperm taken from her husband after he died unexpectedly during a routine hospital operation last year.

The mother-of-one applied for an emergency court order allowing his sperm to be taken shortly after he died and it is now being stored in a clinic.

The law allows sperm only to be used with the written consent of the donor.

But the 42-year-old, who is known only as L as she cannot be named under a court order, went before the High Court in Preston to apply to be allowed to use the sperm to conceive.
I am not satisfied that it is possible to lawfully remove, or authorise the removal of gametes (sperm or eggs) from a dead person
Mr Justice Charles

She told the judge, Mr Justice Charles, that storing sperm or getting written consent was not discussed because they had no reason to fear the minor operation would lead to his death.

She said she and her husband, named only as H, had discussed having another child and talked with other family members about their child having a baby brother or sister.

Her lawyers have said despite British law requiring written consent, destruction of the sperm would contravene her human rights.

But Mr Justice Charles said her application to retrieve the sperm and use it, either in the UK or abroad to have another child, was a "novelty".

He said: "Accordingly, at present I am not satisfied that it is possible to lawfully remove, or authorise the removal of gametes (sperm or eggs) from a dead person, who has not given an effective advanced consent to this."

'Difficult issue'

A final decision on whether she can use the sperm is now with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which regulates the storage of such material.

Professor Lisa Jardine, Chair of the HFEA, said: "We welcome the court's ruling in this case.

"This has been a very difficult issue and we very much sympathise with the situation L has found herself in.

"As a regulator we must operate within the legislation.

"This ruling confirms that HFEA acted correctly and the HFE Act is compatible with the Human Rights Act, and that gametes can only be stored with effective written consent of the person providing them."

The case follows that of Diane Blood, from Nottinghamshire, who fought through the courts to win the right to have a baby using sperm taken from husband while he was on a life support machine.

Her husband, Stephen, 30, died from bacterial meningitis after falling into a coma in 1995.

The HFEA originally refused to allow her to conceive using his sperm.

The decision was upheld in the High Court, but the Court of Appeal allowed her to have IVF treatment using her dead husband's sperm in a Belgian clinic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7659430.stm

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