Free Republic

Indolent cows languidly chewing their cud while befuddled motorists honk and maneuver their vehicles around them are images as stereotypically Indian as saffron-clad holy men and the Taj Mahal. Now, however, India's ubiquitous cows - of which there are 283 million, more than anywhere else in the world - have assumed a more menacing role as they become part of the climate change debate.

[VIDEO] According to OpenSecrets.org, Senator Barack Obama received $101,332 in political contributions from A.I.G. In fact, the two largest recipients of A.I.G. donations were Obama and Connecticut’s Democrat Senator Christopher Dodd. Oops. That seems to have slipped the President’s mind. A.I.G.’s Financial Products affiliate doled out $136,928 during the 2008 cycle. That, of course, is the same division that bet trillions of dollars on credit-default swaps and “misjudged” the market. The Washington Post reports a “mob effect” at A.I.G financial products division:.....

Candidates for federal office will be able to squeeze just a little more money out of their major contributors in the 2010 campaign cycle as the Federal Election Commission announced new individual gift limits Friday morning. Individual donors will now be able to give up to $2,400 per election, or $4,800 for both a primary and a general, according to the new guidelines. That's up from the $2,300 per-election limit during the 2008 cycle. Donors are also able to fork over $30,400 to national parties, higher than the $28,500 they were allowed to give last cycle. A single donor is...

CAMP VICTORY — Multi-National Corps - Iraq recently celebrated "Women's Art, Women’s Vision" at Al Faw Palace, during a Women's History Month presentation sponsored by the 11th Signal Brigade, Task Force Thunderbirds.The observance honored accomplishments of influential female artists by showing their art and telling their stories. The guest speaker was Lt. Col. Kris Kramarich, commander, 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion."In Violet Oakley's visionary murals she poetically sought to express her desire and hope for world peace, equal rights and the unification of the people of the earth," Kramarich said. "She passed away in 1961, but her vision doesn't differ...

Hillary Clinton Schlepped Here by: Malcolm A. Kline, March 03, 2008 Apparently, George Washington University is a big stop for Democratic presidential candidates. This would go with the share of university employee political contributions that go to Democratic candidates. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have campaigned here. In something of a twilight zone is another honored guest—Ralph Nader. “Her supporters have not lost faith in the New York senator’s bid for the Democratic nomination,” Jennifer Easton reported in the GW Hatchet on February 28. “GW students and Clinton fans filled Lisner auditorium Monday evening [February 25], collectively raising $200,000,...

GWU’s One-Party State by: Malcolm A. Kline, February 12, 2008 Why does this not surprise? “Employees donated a sum of $52,000 to presidential candidates this election cycle,” Bryan Han reported on Feb. 11 in the GW Hatchet, the college newspaper at George Washington University. “Republican candidates only received 18 percent of the total money donated.” Here’s the breakdown of the bulk of the donations: • Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.—$21, 075 • Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY—$16, 520 • Sen. John McCain, R-AZ—$7, 100 • Gov. Bill Richardson.... • Sen. Fred Thompson... • Gov. Mitt Romney, R-MA...

Demanding a Refund [Mark Krikorian] Michelle Malkin has a great idea — people who've donated (however small the amount) to the GOP campaign committees or to any of the Ted Kennedy Republicans should call and demand a refund. I understand it's party policy to provide refunds to those who ask, though I don't know if that's true. Anyone who has details on this, let me know — also if you've demanded a refund, what happened? Mickey Kaus is skeptical, saying that organizing primary or general election challenges, or recalls, is what will really get a Senator's attention. That's true, but...

The "Palestinian" Contributions to Humanity 1) Commit the crimes on your own kids (human bombs, human shields) and always blame the Zionist victim. 2) How to united the Arab world, bring about "Dead Arab kids", Hezbollah picked up on that very fast. 3) The bastion of (fake) excuse for Islamists' crimes against humanity. 4) The phenomenon of "brown" Arabs Kissing up to "white" Hitler, Hitlerists, never mind what one wishes the other. 5) Inventing big drama words, such as "apartheid", "racism" for those daring to stand up against Racist, Fascist terrorists. 6) The lucky invention of the 1960's, One of the 21...

Not really sure where to put this. Would like to post it for any comments, additions, subtractions, other FReepers might have. Suggestion: How about programming some stars that go with your handle on posts as a vanity tag. So you'd get one star attached to your handle per $10/month you are currently giving to FR on auto deduction plan. (or per $20/month.) Would like to hear what other FReepers think about the idea, even if they disagree! What do you think? Would it be cool, or not? **1-Eagle <--- wahoo! I gots two stars! (well, and 1/2, grin)

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 30, 2006 – Participants in the Joint Civilian Orientation Course began the last leg of their whirlwind trip through the U.S. Central Command area of operations yesterday by learning about the vast mission the Air Force carries out in support of troops on the ground. JCOC participants armed with paintball rounds practice a drill with Air Force security force members. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Larry Chambers, USGC  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Military officials asked that the visit's exact location not be released. Air Force Lt. Gen. Gary North, commander of U.S. Central...

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2006 – Iraqi security forces continue to play an increasingly larger role in the fight against terrorism, with many units taking responsibility for their own areas and making connections with citizens, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said today. In a marked improvement over last year's three battalions, the Iraqi army now has two divisions, 16 brigades and 58 battalions that have the lead in counterinsurgency operations in their areas, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said at a news conference. Also, at least 25 percent of daily company-level and above operations are independent...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has failed to report that American Media Inc. -- publisher of the National Enquirer and top body-building magazines - - gave $250,000 this year to one of his pet charities in a move critics charge may be a violation of state ethics law. The hefty donation to the nonprofit California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness came to light Friday after American Media filed new documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission describing the end of its business relationship with the governor. --snip-- But no record of the donation is on file with the Fair Political Practices Commission,...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A business group raising money to back Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's package of constitutional amendments for an upcoming special election has sued to overturn a cap on contributions to committees controlled by elected officials. The suit, served Wednesday on the California Fair Political Practices Commission, targets a regulation that officials from the Citizens to Save California and the governor's office have said does not apply to them because Schwarzenegger does not play a controlling role in the group. Critics have charged that Citizens to Save California is violating the regulation by raising unlimited amounts of money for campaign...

In his address last week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called for a 401(k) style defined-contribution pension system for state workers. In a January 24 hearing on pension issues, state legislators should consider the evidence for why such a system is necessary. Lucrative disability pensions are becoming the rule rather than the exception in some counties. A disability pension is 50-percent tax free and provides half the employee's salary for life and up to 100 percent for the employee's spouse if the employee dies. In L.A. County alone, according to a January 3 Los Angeles Daily News report, about 1,200 former county...

U.S. military now has 16,500 working in South Asia on tsunami relief effort By Fred Zimmerman, Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Monday, January 10, 2005 (Click here for a map with details of the U.S. military's relief effort in Asia.) http://www.stripes.com/05/jan05/milrelief.html UTAPAO, Thailand — The U.S. military’s support of humanitarian relief efforts in South Asia continues to grow, with more than 16,500 troops converging on the region to lend a hand. More than 10,800 are on the ships of the Navy’s Expeditionary Strike Group 5 and Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, which is carrying the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The...

By Gene J. Koprowski Published 1/5/2005 11:57 AM CHICAGO, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The Internet is proving integral to the tsunami relief effort for major American charities, from Episcopal Relief and Development to the United Jewish Fund. Empathetic donors are wielding debit and credit cards to contribute cash instantly, rather than sending a check that could take days to arrive, development directors told United Press International. The tragedy that last week killed upwards of 150,000 people in Southeast Asia and East Africa is, in its own way, reshaping the way non-profits raise funds, just as former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's...

Dear Donor, Thank you very much for your donation to the victims of the Beslan terror act. We would like to ask you for several minutes of your time to update you on the status of our project, let you know how else you can assist the children in Beslan, and provide you with other important information. This message is divided into 5 sections: A. Status report B. Appeal to donors from the Board of Trustees C. New projects for the children of Beslan D. Conference call to be held for donors and supporters E. Receipt for your donation F....

John Kerry's stated purpose for being in Philadelphia Thursday was to speak to delegates at the NAACP's annual convention. But the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also managed to leave town with more than $500,000 in his pocket, largely courtesy of the city's trial lawyers, large firm lawyers and their clients.... Though event organizers played down the role of trial lawyers, they did say that more than half of the funds raised for the event -- an hour-long meet-and-greet session for contributors held at Philadelphia International Airport Thursday afternoon -- came from trial lawyers.

Take a look at the campaign contributions made by these three lovlies:Sam WaksalPeter BacanovicMartha Stewart Gee...I wonder what they have in common?

SPARTANBURG, SC (Talon News) -- Liberal online political group MoveOn.org as well as two major Democrat candidates for president are in the midst of a brewing scandal over potentially improper online contributions received from European citizens who have been encouraged to send money to the group to help defeat President George W. Bush in next year's elections. In an article posted last week in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, the headline read, "Now you have the chance to leave your mark on Bush." The story tells Europeans that they have "a chance to defeat [Bush] -- even if you are not...