Free Republic

LANCASTER-- A man was stabbed in the neck with a meat thermometer after asking a woman to silence her cell phone in a movie theater, a sheriff's department official said. The stabbing occurred last Saturday at the Cinemark 22 theater at 2600 West Avenue I in Lancaster, according to Detective Richard Cartmill of the Lancaster sheriff's station. Deputies say that while the movie was playing, a woman was talking on her phone and the victim asked her to turn it off. The victim was attacked by the woman's boyfriend and another man. Deputies say he was stabbed in the neck...

A series of conversations between Dr Thielicke and American Christians...

renaissance n. A rebirth or revival It’s amazing what goes on in the middle of the night when most of us are sound asleep. After a unfortunate encounter with a Brown Recluse Spider crawling over my bed, and my misguided attempts to kill it with a slipper and then chemicals, I had to abandon my bedroom. So I turned on the radio, unable to get but 3 stations, 2 of them in Spanish, and Coast to Coast Am. I ordinarily don’t listen to conspiracy theories and worries of boogymen I can do nothing about, because as our patriot friend, Terry...

The command from his father was gruff, but not unduly so: "Stand up. Put your hand over your heart." Quickly, the boy, I'd say about 7 or so, jumped up from the curb and did just that as several men, all no doubt older than his grandpa, marched by. One played the bagpipes. Another carried the American flag, slowly fluttering in the midday mountain air. All was quiet, save for the bagpipes, as the men strode by. Yet another Fourth of July parade in small-town America. Every year, we go to Show Low for a few days on either end...

Much to my disconcertment, last night (Wednesday night), a local dowager had complained about my "bad manners" of reading while dining with nine other people; not to me--she had complained to friends of mine. I was reading the Encyclopedia Americana, specifically the entries about the silkworm industry in France during the 1840s, while everybody else was yik-yakking away. Of course, there's a practical matter here; too many people, too much light and movement, too much color, which to me is "noise," and so I can't keep track of what's being said, or what I think's being said. What is one...

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif) took offense when Brigadier General Michael Walsh used the phrase “yes, ma’am” in response to one of her questions during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, calling it a “typical demonstration of the military’s inherent disrespect for women.” “They want us to accept it as a term of respect,” Boxer said. “Bit it’s a code word for what they’re really thinking—‘broad,’ ‘bitch,’ or something even more derogatory. After all, ‘ma’am’ is a contraction for ‘madam’—a term used to describe the head prostitute in a whorehouse.” Boxer said that “the proper way for a so-called officer and...

The recent meeting between British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Barack Obama struck many observers as “odd.” During the meeting itself, Obama appeared bored and uninterested. The gift of home movies that he gave Brown was considered tacky and bizarre. And after the meeting, Obama said that one of his “life-long dreams” was to meet the Queen of England. “Those who are jumping on the President for what they consider his erratic behavior in this meeting are ignorant of several key facts,” insisted Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. “First of all, the meeting was running long. The President was anxious...

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Manners maketh the businessman, with a global survey finding Americans and Britons to be the most easily insulted by lack of workplace etiquette, while Australians are among the most offensive. The survey, by Australian-based international office space provider Servcorp, listed the top five most offensive workplace behaviors as not saying hello or good morning, not offering office guests a beverage, speaking loudly across the room, using swear words and taking calls on mobile phones.

To my Conservative Friends: Since it is a slow news day, I would like to comment on a topic that has been sitting in my craw for some time... I, like many of you, commute to work and often use mass transit. Therefore, I am constantly amazed at the absolute, unabashed, naked selfishness of people. I live near New York City, which is comprised of approximately 75%-80% of the most bed-wetting, out-of-touch liberal socialists there are. So you would think the caring, open-minded, sensitive, PC libs of the big city should show some civility and care about their fellow man....

This sense of entitlement on the part of Chinese men is a big problem in China. In a country where 'manhood' is still highly prized, however, such behavior is not entirely surprising. One child families - where parents and grandparents spoil their children 'silly' - produce millions of men who grow up believing that they are the kings of the world. After all, even well into their late teenage years, everything is done for them. Their mothers wash their clothes, cook meals for them, and their fathers pay for four years of university - the young men never have to...

I hang out at both right-wing and left-wing sites as I enjoy seeing a broad range of opinion and having reasoned discourse not only with people with whom I agree (at both types of sites) but also people with whom I disagree (again, at both types of sites). And frequently the latter discussions are more fun, not to mention more interesting. And one thing I've noticed recently is the fact that all too often, when a poster is trying to discuss a position, they tend to overgeneralize. People on the right post "Liberals think this" and people on the left...

Service workers, such as waiters and waitresses, often reply "no problem" to my "thank you". I think that's silly. A "you're welcome" or just a smile would be better. Any other silly phrases you'd like to gripe about? I'm aware that if I am time to gripe about this, my life is pretty good :). I'm not saying it's a big deal, but I'd prefer that my children not pick up this verbal tic.

Women face being turned away from the Royal Enclosure during Royal Ascot if their skirts are too short or if their dresses have straps less than an inch wide. Visitors who display their midriff or wear off-the-shoulder tops or halter necks will also be ejected on the orders of the Queen's representative, the Duke of Devonshire. The duke, the chairman of the course, has clarified the strict dress code for next week's event in guidance sent to all 80,000 Royal Enclosure badge holders. The code dictates that only "formal day dress" is acceptable and that ladies must wear hats or...

I picked Greatest Grandson up at the high school this afternoon, I needed groceries too, so we went to Walmart. Standing in the checkout line I heard a voice behind me say, "Excuse me, Sir, I'm sorry I blocked you". This shouldn't be exceptional, but it is, today. On the way home I told him how proud he made me feel, and he said, "I was raised that way". He made the honor roll too, life is really good sometimes.

For anyone who finds the very prospect of carving a turkey tomorrow brings them out in a sweat, help is at hand. A 200-year-old book has recently been discovered detailing the traumas faced by the head of the table when preparing and carving the bird, and giving crucial advice on how to get it right and impress your guests. It says manners and etiquette are vital, and the ability to carve with "ease and grace" gains great respect among fellow diners. advertisementOn no account must the carver stand up while doing the deed, but must always have a chair high...

NOT EVERYONE LOVES THE TALKMASTER! Yeah .. I know. Imagine that! Here's the edited text of an email Web Guy forwarded to me. Web Guy wanted me to see this particular piece of "hate mail" because he says the writer, whoever he is (he left no valid email address) has such a succinct way of expressing his feelings and his dreams for America. We're more than happy to share these thoughts with you today: I'll admit, we did correct a few spelling and punctuation errors. We didn't want this gentleman's message to get lost in some typos. "Why don't you...

Jimmy from Jerusalem writes: Arabs in FIRST class in Democratic Israel, literally To Arab lobby’s Jimmy Carter’s ‘Apartheid slur‘:Young [horny] Arabs in the front, elderly Jews & pregnant women in the back! You have already heard about the Israeli courts that favors Arabs over Jews. You have already heard about the Israeli security that favors Arabs over Jews in access to holy sites like temple mount & Hebron’s ancient Jewish tomb.. You have already heard about the Israeli military that favors Arabs over Jews in “illegal” squattering, like in Jerusalem, Hebron, etc. You have already heard about the Israeli universities...

After several days at sea, I have begun to suspect that the US may be in worse shape than I thought. Not only does our economy need imported oil and foreign capital to prosper. It also could be developing a dependence on the kindness of strangers. I left dry land because my mother decided to celebrate her 70th birthday by inviting her children and grandchildren on a cruise – a five-day voyage from Bayonne, New Jersey, to Bermuda and back. Having grown up in the Long Island suburbs of New York, I viewed cruises as the vacation equivalent of a...

Publisher Nan Talese's Remarks on Oprah Winfrey

Teen Loses Job For Whistling At Co-WorkerPOSTED: 9:12 am EDT June 3, 2007 UPDATED: 10:07 am EDT June 3, 2007 CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The wrong kind of whistle resulted in a grocery store employee losing his job. Tom Pacholke, 18, said he was fired April 27 by his employers at Nino Salvaggio market in Macomb County's Clinton Township after using what is known as a wolf whistle to get the attention of a co-worker. The co-worker, who Pacholke said he's known since seventh grade, was wearing a prom dress and walking into the market, The Detroit News reported Saturday....