Free Republic

Today is election day in Massachusetts, for what could be the most important and ironic political race of the last 100 years: A country swerving out of control; helmed by a supermajority Democratic machine that might just be slammed back on the rails by a one-party Democratic state, that in any other time but this one, is of the bluest kind... Snip: What Martha Coakley could never have guessed, was that in 2010, a citizen reporter would talk to Frank Frisoli and Frank would tell him an intimate detail of the case that has never been reported until now: and...

Remember this case, for it may have a great deal to do with this Council of Governors: New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144 (1992) "In a 6-3 decision, the Court upheld two of the three provisions of the Act under review, reasoning that Congress had the authority under the Commerce Clause to use financial rewards and access to disposal sites as incentives for state waste management. The third provision, the "take-title" qualification, stipulated that states must take legal ownership and liability for low-level waste or by the regulatory act. "Either type of federal action," wrote Justice Sandra Day...

Dr. Master's presents a fine essay on the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which is causing unusually cold weather. Link only, TOS prohibit even partial quotatons.

Aside from the usual he-lied/she-lied accusations, does anyone know if we citizens have any legal means by which these Congressional dirty-deals can be made public? Is there any way to legally force the televising of the meetings? Can any of our weenie Republicans bring some kind of civil suit? Can SCOTUS get involved? What are the procedures, if any, for intervention at any of these levels?I just cannot imagine that the intent of the Founding Fathers was to allow people like Pelosi, Reid, and Obama the freedom to impose dictatorial measures upon the people.One of our FR sharpies must have...

My hubby and son will be glued to the TV on New Year's Day watching the traditional football marathon. Here are recipes for two of their favorite foods that are quick and fairly easy to prepare: Chili-cheese hashbrowns 1 large bag of frozen hash browns 2 or 3 cans of chili (my guys prefer the no-bean variety) 1 or 2 cans of chopped green chili peppers Lots of shredded cheddar cheese Sour cream Vegetable oil for cooking hashbrowns Tortilla chips (optional) Prepare frozen hashbrowns according to package instructions (I like to use a big wok). While the hashbrowns are cooking,...

My Grandfather was a lawyer in Chicago during Capone's time, and later served as a judge. Grandpa was also a lifelong Republican, back when being one really meant something. Every once in a while, he would tell a story or offer a poignant anecdote from those lawless days.One afternoon while he was reading the newspaper he remarked that here were only two kinds of politicians in Chicago - honest and dishonest. When asked what the difference was, Grandpa replied that an honest politician was one who stayed "bought". Party affiliations did not matter.

Earlier this evening, our pastor and his wife were involved in a terrible auto accident near Rockford, Illinois. Carlton is 67, and Lily is 65. Neither have been in good health for quite some time, and Lily suffered a major stroke several months ago which has left her unable to feed or care for herself.Both Carlton and Lily have suffered multiple fractures of the ribs and hips as a result of this accident. Carlton's blood pressure is dangerously low, and he is really not aware of his surroundings. As Lily cannot talk, no one is quite sure just yet of...

When Tony Blair is criticised over Iraq he appeals to either the past or the future. The invasion seemed a good idea at the time, or at least "Let history be my judge". Leave the present out of it.Taking him at his word, I thought to give history a call. She is in good health, sleeves rolled up, rolling pin in hand. But she complains of overwork. Not a month passes without some new leaked Iraq memorandum, narrative or memoir slamming down on her kitchen table.Of all the conundrums, the most often cited is that Iraq was a "great invasion,...

Good Health Habits Good health habits are also an important way to help prevent the Flu. Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Clean your...

<p>"His wife has been trying to keep his daughter (4 1/2) from him since February when they separated. He has a very good job, so unfortunately she has enough money to fight tooth & nail. She even went so far as to accuse him of sexual molestation, and put her daughter through all the testing.</p>

My brother, Eric, will be attempting to get his children back legally from his estranged wife in a little more than 5 hours. He has not seen his children, Korin (age 10), Damon (aged 9), and Aaron (aged 8) in over a month, and they are his entire life.My sister-in-law is an extremely disturbed individual with numerous psychiatric and physical problems, and ran away with the children one day while my brother was at work. He does not know where any of them are, has had no telephone contact, and has been searching frantically for them ever since.Would you please...

A long-time friend of ours and his children suffer from a rare hereditary form of cancer. Kris is a commercial pilot for a major airlines. He and all of his children have had surgery to correct the problem, but now due to tremendous personal stress, he is having both a recurrance of the original symptoms, and some new symptoms related to his stomach.Later today he is undergoing more tests. Would you please pray for Kris and his family? They are all having many problems in addition to health-related issues.

An Iraqi legislator was shot and killed by militants who stormed into her house in a middle class neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, underscoring fears that the political impasse has emboldened insurgents to step up deadly attacks in recent weeks, after a lull following the Jan. 30 elections. Lamia Abed Khadouri al-Sakri, who was elected to the National Assembly on the ticket of Allawi's Iraqi List party, was shot and killed by militants in her house in Baghdad's Hay Aur neighborhood, police Capt. Ali al-Obeidi said. She was the first member of the parliament elected on Jan. 30 to be slain...

Ivan has already killed dozens of people, and is flirting with Cat 5 status as it bears down on Jamaica. May our Merciful God hold the umbrella fast over all who are and will be affected, that damage and loss of life be minimal.Father, we come before You to ask that the lives and property of all in the path of Ivan be spared. Reduce these violent winds as You turn this storm on a course that takes it away from land. Thank You, Father! Amen.

A widely used antibiotic long considered safe dramatically increases the risk of cardiac arrest, particularly when taken with some popular drugs for infections and high blood pressure, a huge study found.The drug is erythromycin, which has been on the market for 50 years and is prescribed for everything from strep throat to syphilis. The new study shows the need for continuing research on the safety of older medicines, including how they interact with newer drugs, said researcher Wayne A. Ray, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.In patients taking erythromycin along with other drugs...

Fellow FReepers, let us all join together and pray for our brothers and sisters in the path of Frances. Many are still being afflicted by the ravages of the first two hurricanes, and the effects of a third may be unimaginable. Thank you all in advance!

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am." The man consulted his portable GPS and Replied, You're in a hot air balloon approximately 30 feet above sea level... You are 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude." She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican." I am," replied the...

One of the four instruments on board the Hubble Space Telescope has stopped working, US space agency Nasa has said. The STIS, or Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, was installed during the second Hubble servicing mission in 1997 and was designed to work for five years It was used to investigate black holes, to discover dim stars that reveal clues to the age of the Universe and study the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet. Engineers are currently trying to track down the source of the problem. Nasa has convened an Anomaly Review Board to determine whether the failed instrument is recoverable....

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Two domestic cats in Thailand have died of the same bird flu that has killed at least 22 people in Asia, a veterinarian said on Friday, a day after Canada announced its first case of a different strain of the virus. The discoveries have alarmed scientists, who now fear the disease can spread as easily between species as it has between countries. They said on Friday developing human vaccines must be a priority to prevent a flu pandemic like the one in 1918 that killed up to 50 million people worldwide. "It is a pandemic threat constantly...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The use of antibiotics appears to be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and fatal breast cancer, according to the results of a new study reported in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, the investigators add that although a relationship has been found, their findings do not prove that antibiotic use is the cause of breast cancer in these women and they note that other factors may be involved. Earlier reports have suggested a link between antibiotics and increased cancer risk, lead author Dr. Christine M. Velicer...