Free Republic

For the past three years, America’s leaders have looked on Europe’s management of the euro crisis with barely disguised contempt. In the White House and on Capitol Hill there has been incredulity that Europe’s politicians could be so incompetent at handling an economic problem; so addicted to last-minute, short-term fixes; and so incapable of agreeing on a long-term strategy for the single currency. Those criticisms were all valid, but now those who made them should take the planks from their own eyes. America’s economy may not be in as bad a state as Europe’s, but the failures of its politicians—epitomized...

It smelled like bacon. I was afraid to say it out loud, though—I doubt any real food and drink connoisseurs compare the smell of some grand old Scotch to an everyday pork product, but that’s what my nose captured. In the heart of Edinburgh, in a room walled with brass- and bronze-colored bottles, I sniffed more and more whisky and soon captured a whole rainbow of aromas: cloves, apples, vanilla, sage and strawberries. And that smokiness I smelled as bacon? That comes from the Scottish peat they burn when heating the mix. Not everyone loves whisky, but as alcohol goes,...

Fear of embarrassment and budget cuts led high officials at the California parks department to conceal millions of dollars, according to a new investigation by the state attorney general's office. The money remained hidden for years until it was exposed by a new staff member who described a culture of secrecy and fear at the department. The attorney general's report, released Friday, is the most detailed official account so far of the financial scandal at the parks department. The controversy broke last summer with the revelation that parks officials had a hidden surplus of nearly $54 million at a time...

The holidays are finally wrapping up. So after you repack the twinkly lights, and the tinsel goes into the trash, what should you do with that once beautiful spruce standing in your living room? Why not drink it? Well, not exactly as is. The needles, shoots, light-green tips and inner bark of the popular conifer have been used for centuries to brew forest-scented tea, soft drinks and beer. And it seems that fresh evergreen flavor may be making a comeback. "Ancient Scandinavians and their Viking descendants brewed beer from young shoots of Norway spruce, drinking the beer for strength in...

Armed guards from RGA Investigations have taken up post at the Journal News’ Rockland County headquarters. Guns are good for the goose but NOT for the gander. A Clarkstown police report issued on December 28, 2012, confirmed that The Journal News has hired armed security guards from New City-based RGA Investigations and that they are manning the newspaper’s Rockland County headquarters at 1 Crosfield Ave., West Nyack, through at least tomorrow, Wednesday, January 2, 2013. [Update 1/4/13-the guards will now be present indefinitely] According to police reports on public record, Journal News Rockland Editor Caryn A. McBride was alarmed by...

1. Bic Lighters 2. A Good Winter Hat 3. Bullion Cubes 4. Baby Wipes 5. Glow Sticks 6. Paper Maps 7. Paper Plates 8. Ziplock Bags 9. Tabasco Sauce 10. Duct Tape

The North Korean Committee for Peaceful Reunification called South Korean President Lee Myung Bak and ministry officials “a group of rats” and said South Korea will only experience security when the rats are “completely eradicated.” … The North Korean statement also called the Lee government officials “confrontation maniacs,” who are in direct opposition to the North Korean “desire for peace and unification.” …

He’s one of the most powerful men in Iraq—and one of the least popular. Nuri al-Maliki has, for many Iraqis, forfeited his credibility as prime minister. His allegedly authoritarian and inefficient leadership style has even been criticized by members of the parties that make up the government coalition. No wonder—a year after the withdrawal of the US army, he can barely point to a single success. Unemployment is high, terrorists have infiltrated security forces and corruption is widespread. Some of his coalition partners are even accusing Maliki of behaving like Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein. “Maliki depends on a small,...

Two pages from my blog are missing from the web and can't be found when searched on http:www.archive.org either One is my documents showing KS SOS Kris Kobach's request for a verification and Onaka's response, at http://butterdezillion.wordpress.com/2012/09/ The other is my documents showing AZ SOS Ken Bennett's request for a verification and Onaka's response, at http://butterdezillion.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/bennett-request-and-response.pdf These are part of a critical legal discussion going on now regarding Onaka's failure to verify any birth facts for Obama, even though Hawaii statute requires them to verify any information submitted for verification by a qualified requestor. I have no idea who has...

SORRY FOR POOR SOUND BUT SING, SING, SING

SNIP A working group led by Vice President Biden is seriously considering measures backed by key law enforcement leaders that would require universal background checks for firearm buyers, track the movement and sale of weapons through a national database, strengthen mental health checks, and stiffen penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors, the sources said. To sell such changes, the White House is developing strategies to work around the National Rifle Association that one source said could include rallying support from Wal-Mart and other gun retailers for measures that would benefit their businesses. White House aides...

The government should ban high-sugar cereals such as Coco Pops and other foods that are contributing to an obesity epidemic among British children, the shadow health secretary has urged. Regulations limiting the amount of sugar, salt and fat in processed foods should be considered if the food industry does not take action itself, according to Labour’s Andy Burnham, who has begun a consultation on how to tackle obesity. Burnham highlighted the case of breakfast cereals, saying many aimed at children are more than one-third sugar by weight. …

Liberal Chick: "The State is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want (Psalm 666)."

It's smaller.... not a terrible amount but maybe a tank of gas a month or so, maybe more, maybe less. The Social Security tax break was allowed to expire apparently. Thank goodness,.. we all know what a great system S.S. is. This is the deal that Obama wanted and the deal we got. Check your paychecks,.... if you're lucky enough to receive one in Obama's "robust" economy,...see what you find. It's nice to know that I am one of the "rich" now. I guess if Obama can't define you as rich, then he just defines rich as.......you. Plus, as a...

A Chuck E. Cheese’s customer is suing the restaurant chain, alleging she was stabbed by a waitress at one of the pizzeria’s Southwest Side outlets. LaNasia Randle claims Shardonnae Pruitt threw a napkin dispenser at her boyfriend and stabbed her with a knife three times inside the Chuck E. Cheese’s in the 5300 block of South Kedzie Avenue, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court. The dispute allegedly began after Pruitt took away a salad plate at the restaurant. Randle claims the fight escalated after the waitress alleged her boyfriend had not paid for the salad...

Muslims have mixed views about Jesus Christ, and the recent Christmas season witnessed a variety of responses to the celebration from different parts of the Islamic world. In predominantly Sunni Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, the top Islamic authority instructed adherents this year not to attend Christmas functions or parties—and advised that they even avoid wishing anyone “Merry Christmas.” “It’s still up for debate whether it’s halal [religiously permissible] or haram [prohibited], so better steer clear of it,” the Jakarta Post quoted Indonesian Council of Ulema chairman Ma’ruf Amin as saying. “But you can say ‘Happy New Year.’ ”...

As people were getting ready for the holiday season and its accompanying waist expansion late last year, Dr. Mehmet Oz let viewers of his TV show in on a timely little secret. “Everybody wants to know what’s the newest, fastest fat buster,” said the board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive. “How can I burn fat without spending every waking moment exercising and dieting?” He then told his audience about a “breakthrough,” “magic,” “holy grail,” even “revolutionary” new fat buster. “I want you to write it down,” America’s doctor urged his audience with a serious and...

Published: 12:08 CET | Print version | Double click on a word to get a translation An outspoken local Sweden Democrat politician who previously argued “negro” is not a racist term, has generated headlines again by calling for a law to cap the fertility rate of Muslims around the world. 'You won't get rid of me': Almqvist (31 Dec 12) What can other far-right parties tell us about the Sweden Democrats? (27 Nov 12) Sweden Democrats send members anti-Islam mag (22 Nov 12) Annika Rydh, municipal party secretary in Älmhult, southern Sweden, blogs about her work and often links to...

Haitian officials have renewed the diplomatic passport of former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, his attorney said Saturday. … Duvalier suddenly came back to Haiti in 2011 following 25 years in exile in France. Upon his return, Haitian authorities opened an investigation into the human rights abuses associated with his 15-year rule. But the judge instead recommended that Duvalier be indicted for only financial crimes, and faces no more than five years if convicted. …

This letter is a very sad example of what happens when our personal freedoms and liberties are taken away. America wasn’t built on this, readers, and we absolutely must share this to show people the impact the Obama administration is having on every-day Americans. When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn’t much bigger than most people’s living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God‘s word....