Free Republic

The woman heading the "investigation" into the improper targeting of conservatives by the IRS, is an Obama and DNC donor according to a new report published in Breitbart News. . . .

Seriously, it hurts. Stop it, will ya? Yesterday I walked by a church and the pastor barreled out of the door, ran into the street, screamed “BIBLE!” and chucked it right at my head. Well, that didn’t LITERALLY happen. But he did say, “good afternoon, God bless,” which is basically the same thing. In any case, Christians are always shoving their religion in people’s faces. Everything they say, every position they hold, every thought they express — it’s all RELIGION. Even if they don’t explicitly say, “I think this because of my religion,” we all know the score. If it...

Recent high profile events—the Gosnell trial and the septicemia of Savita Halappanavar in Ireland—have again raised the question if abortion is ever acceptable, such as in attempts to save the life of the mother. There are at least two ways of thinking about such dilemmas in the Christian moral tradition. The first, which can be traced at least as far back as Thomas Aquinas, relies on the principle of double effect. The second, more familiar to the Lutheran communion, is the method of casuistry, the detailed study of all the factors and circumstances of a case in order to determine...

It had been nearly two decades since I owned a cell phone when I decided recently to purchase an ATT cell phone, using their GoPhone program. The idea was/is to have a device to reach others via speech from a semi-remote location in case of emergency, and do so with minimum hassle or expense. I'm sure there are millions who seek the same. Now that I have the phone and have successfully disabled any texting and web applications (not without first being dinged for any and all fumbling with the buttons), I receive bogus phone calls from god-knows-who spammeisters, with...

MILWAUKEE -- Pittsburgh first baseman Randall Simon was interrogated by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department after a strange incident in which he struck a participant in the popular sausage race during Wednesday's game between the Brewers and Pirates. The race, which takes place after the sixth inning, features runners wearing costumes of various sausages -- bratwurst, hot dog, Polish and Italian. As the runners passed the Pittsburgh dugout, Simon hit the Italian sausage with his baseball bat, perhaps harder than anticipatedYouTube Version.

ELKHART -- Business owners and professionals were reassured the economy is recovering and then reminded of their responsibilities to not only their firms but also their community during the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce 2011 annual meeting. The chamber luncheon attracted more than 450 Friday to the Matterhorn Conference Center. Over parsleyed potatoes and grilled chicken, the upbeat group applauded the local companies that earned special recognition and listened to an array of speakers who, in turn, praised the spirit of Elkhart County. Richard Paulen, the outgoing chairman of the chamber board, said as Elkhart emerges from the Great Recession,...

MIDDLEBURY (IN) -- Days after its disappearance, the decorative pig outside Old Hoosier Meats has not yet returned. Owner Randy Grewe had placed the pig, made of pink wire and covered in red and white lights, outside the smokehouse and butcher shop before Thanksgiving. When he returned to work Monday after the New Year's weekend, it was gone. As Grewe walked to his front door, he found a laminated note on his doorstep, letters from magazines and newspapers pieced together to form the message: "Here is your ransom demand. The pig is safe and you will receive a list...

Video entertainment pertaining to historic events: that's the ticket. This week, besides "Copying Beethoven," "Dahmer" was in the mix. How disturbing to discover the account in no way depicts the offender's arrest, let alone his trial, conviction, and subsequent death at the hands of another criminal. It also lacks in accuracy. Today happens to be the anniversary of Dahmer's death. He was pronounced dead at 9:11 a.m. November 28, 1994. The occasion of seeing this video sparked a minor inquiry into the whole situation, looking for sources and documentation that might lead to further understanding as to the details...

HOUSTON—Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care since 2001, is the new president-elect of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and Rev. Herbert C. Mueller Jr. will serve as first vice-president. Harrison was elected on the first ballot July 13 by delegates to the church body's 64th Regular Convention, meeting in Houston. He received 643 votes, or 54 percent — 593 votes were needed to win. The Synod's current president, Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, received 527 votes, or 45 percent. Mueller, also on the ballot for president, received 8 votes; Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher II,...

There are times when back to back posts on Free Republic strike the eye as if planned, but one must figure they were not. This thread is devoted to occasions where two or more FR posts occur in sequence that literally fit together. The example to follow was created by using the [CTRL] + [PRT SCR] function and then pasting into Photoshop for a quick cropping. (Sorry if sloppy.) I'm counting on other Freepers to keep an eye out for these occasions. If someone else has already started this work, please point me to the same and I'll post this...

As we enjoy the quiet posts on FR thousands of freedom-loving Americans are a-twitter contemplating and texting about the massive encroachments on freedom espoused by our current, as-yet-to-be-certified-natural-born-citizen, President and his syncophants in Congress and media. It's fun to watch, but as I said to Bunny Slippers, I'm too busy practicing with my sling thing to be twittering. My 11"W Adhesive-Backed Joker Posters will be arriving soon, for posting in ACORN-infested corners and other publicly visible places. You Freepers keep up the good fight. You're on the *right* side.

By now most Freepers have become acquainted with the poster under discussion. The purpose of this thread is to facilitate widespread publication and posting of the same in an effort to reverse the past few decades of socialist encroachments on freedom-loving Americans who are too busy working to attend all the politically motivated meetings and legislation so blindly accepted and passed as "normal." Here are a few tips and suggestions to get the thread rolling. 1.) Get hold of a hi-res version and find a printer who will multiply this image on an adhesive paper so it sticks wherever you...

I was enjoying a quiet lunch in downtown Elkhart recently when, all of a sudden, as if out of nowhere, there appeared a small cadre of protesters with pretty photographer in tow. What did they want? Government health care for everyone, as if it were something that grows on trees. Not a bad idea, per se. I'd like to see free cars for everyone, free energy and free toys. But I don't have time to protest for those things because, unlike this little parade of discontented folks, I have a job and that job cannot be supported without real production...

An ordinance will be brought before the Elkhart County Plan Commission Friday that looks to dim the lights and cut movement on electronic signs. The ordinance, proposed by county planners, would ban the construction of electronic message boards with flashing or strobing lights, lengthy animations or a bright output. It also limits electronic message boards from being placed in residential or agricultural zones unless they are approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. "This is forward thinking," said Robert Nemeth, an Elkhart County planner who drafted the ordinance. "Sign prices are dropping and we would like to preserve an Elkhart...

Jerry's old Lincoln was totaled last night at about 8:00 p.m. when someone in an older Delta 88 smashed into it and took off. This was his only car. It would not be cause for notice except for a couple things. Jerry grew up not knowing his Mom or Dad, and he served honorably in the Marine Corps seeing combat duty in Operation Desert Storm. His eyesight is not the best, but he works very hard. I should know because I'm his "boss." It is for these reasons I feel compelled to make a plea on his behalf, although he...

I’ve been increasingly absorbed into solving the world’s energy problems for the past six months. Almost every week I am surprised at the depth of this problem. The more I look at it; the problem just doesn’t get easier. But I believe that within this problem lies a magnificent opportunity for our nation, and the world. The title my my talk “Nanotechnology, Energy and People” has the word “people” in it; and the more I’ve gotten into this, the more I think it is mostly a people problem. Let me just jump to the chase here and tell you what...

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2008 06:41 AM, CST Not even sure what to write. We were again not expecting the news received. I kept thinking that if I could just close my eyes last night, I might wake up to a different reality. It is all still here and all very real. First of all, Karsyn is well. She is her usual joyful self! We really haven't prepared her all together, but she knows her headaches are back and that they have to be fixed. She knows they upset mommy and daddy really bad. As for Brad and I, we are...

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The very great Joe Zawinul has passed at 75 Accordionist, proud Austrian, composer of Mercy, Mercy, In a Silent Way, and Birdland, associate of Miles, McLaughlin, Cannonball, Hancock, and Shorter, arguably the father of world music, Zawinul has left the building.

I do not make it a habit to watch TV. This evening I merely wanted to catch a little Monday Night Football, which to my surprise is not included in our basic Comcast Cable package. Guess I'll have to stick to Saturdays and Sundays for football. By coincidence I was tuned in to WGN when what appeared to be a commercial popped up. It was, in fact, the opening scene from the first episode of Corner Gas, Canada's most popular comedy show. It was a sneak preview for us folks in the USA. You Canadians and TV aficionados may laugh...