Free Republic

This cupcake costs $750. Repeat: this cupcake costs $750. Maybe you shouldn't get one for everyone in the third-grade class. Meet the $750 Decadence D'Or cupcake at Sweet Surrender inside the Palazzo. It's encased in a hand-blown sugar fleur-de-lis and crafted using chocolates that get more special attention during production than Rip Torn when the movie's shot in a whiskey bar. It's arguably better than the Hostess version. Here's how it breaks down: • The Cake: Made from Palmira Single Estate chocolate, which was developed by Valrhona, a French chocolatier who planted a series of Criollo bean trees to create...

There are various things out there. But I could not find something to set this up. VoIP (Voice over IP) has been around for a long time. I would not mind just using headphones and a microphone to make the phone call. There is a website IPKall.com that will give you a Washington state telephone number. But I am not sure how you set up the VoIP part. I tried to see if there were any other threads on this. I guess using SKYPE is one way to do this, but not to call someone else who has a real...

The MSM-e, hollywood, activist atheists, activists within the Roman Catholic Church (RCC),etc, have been, and are pushing really hard for the Roman Catholic Church to change its stance on not allowing females to serve as priests. I don't see these same usual suspects pushing for greater "inclusiveness," i.e., pushing for Sunni, Shiite, or Sufi Islam to allow female Imams or pushing for female Rabbis within Orthodox Judaism, or even other branches of the same.

Airline travel suppression. Why not have the same-day ability to buy an airline ticket and hop on board a plane minutes afterward - even with a college-issued id? What about one-stop purchasing of airline tickets? How about even no id required to purchase an airline ticket? To stop terrorists from hopping on board a plane? Hmmm. Didn't one of the Tsaernaev brothers go to an area near Russia, engage in activities that alarmed the Russians, they alert the U.S., and yet he flies back here nonetheless? Scrap all of the security measures because its just one guy? Stupid (even though...

Who saw the first episode of the last season of Breaking Bad last night? Is this the most awesome show ever on TV or what? The acting is first rate all around. When Hank punches Walt it looks like he is going to go all out right then and there, but as Walt circles back around him and stares Hank down at the end, it shows he is clearly in charge of the situation

He claims to have been riding like this for 30+ years (he is in his 50s now) with no serious crash. At the 0:40 mark he complains to the van driver that he didn't indicate before changing lanes. The bike is a Yamaha XJ6 with a custom exhaust.

The 1972 film “The Day the Clown Cried” was apparently such a disaster that it never saw the light of day, except for among a few people. Even decades later, actor and comedian Jerry Lewis, who directed and starred in it, said at the Cannes film festival this year “no-one will ever see it” because he is “embarrassed” by it. But then over the weekend, rare scenes from the making of the film seem to have cropped up on YouTube.

Using the Abused narrated by NRA News Commentator talks about groups that are against guns uses statistics of abused as the main cause. As we all know guns don't make one an abuser, but the individual. So non-gun activist have hidden agenda in their motives that say they're there to help the abuse. But at the same time trying to un-arm the rest of us (pro guns) Read & watch the vid here westernshootingjournal.com/women-and-guns/using-the-abused/

Ok, NOW are you ready for a Third Party, a party with some fight... come out from among them and be holy, says the Creator to His people... DC is a hell hole filled with power hungry, slathering dogs, who's purpose is to sow discord "among the brethren" (read pre-Obama Americans) so as to ingratiate themselves and impoverish us. DC is a corrupting influence and no man is immune... even some conservatives who've been lifted by the wings of the tea party are caving. If you're calling yourself a Republican but are disgusted by their lack of will to fight...

"I'm in a store and the person doesn't obviously know that I carry the black card..."

An Illinois attorney who pleaded guilty to prostitution in 2012 has agreed to have her law license suspended for three years after facing a disciplinary hearing. Reema Bajaj, 27, faced an Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) board accused of lying to the board about her work as a prostitute. The ARDC complaint filed in June accuses Bajaj, a Northern Illinois University graduate, of criminal conduct and making false statements in both a disciplinary matter and on her bar application by not disclosing her 'employment' as a call girl. The complaint against Bajaj was threefold: Criminal conduct for her...

Swiss investor and economic guru, Marc Faber, joins Rick from Hong Kong to discuss the “race to the bottom” that is the universal money printing by the world’s central banks and why he ultimately foresees the U.S. transitioning into a completely planned economy

Traditionally Catholic Ireland has allowed an atheist group to perform weddings this year for the first time, and the few people certified to celebrate them are overwhelmed by hundreds of couples seeking their services. Demand for the Humanist Association of Ireland’s secular weddings has surged as the moral authority of the once almighty Catholic Church collapsed in recent decades amid sex abuse scandals and Irish society's rapid secularization. Until now, those who did not want a religious wedding could have only civil ceremonies. Outside of the registrar’s office, only clergy were permitted to perform weddings. But statistics show rising demand...

I was shopping in a Target last night, when I spotted an unusual looking couple, with a bunch of little kids, in the school supplies area. They were stocking up on school supplies. The man was in his 30s or very early 40s, clad in a close-fitting black button-up religious garment which extended from his neck to his ankles. It flared out at the bottom and seemed to be made of some sort of shiny material, like satin. It certainly looked like some sort of official priest garb. He did not seem to have a white priest collar, nor did...

The American Legislative Exchange Council released today a letter signed by nearly 300 state legislators from 39 states that expresses dismay over Senator Durbin’s letter inquiring into businesses and organizations’ participation in the American Legislative Exchange Council. The letter follows a statement released Friday by the American Legislative Exchange Council expressing concern over Senator Durbin’s inquiries. The letter, sent to all members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, can be accessed here.

The president said that Republicans have one unifying principle - denying 30 million Americans the right to health care. Ummm... The CBO said that there would be 30 million without insurance even with ObamaCare fully implemented. Obama. Mixed up. Fail.

The Mainstream (Establishment) Media is trying to once again do the Republican vs Democrat thingy: that Obama has proposed some serious (cough, laugh) changes to the NSA spying program, and those wascally wepubs (Rep. McCaul and Peter King (R-GOP-e) are trying to thwart him. I never thought that I would see a recent liberal rally where hundreds marched (not reported by the MSM-e) where a person would be carrying a sign that said Snowden, patriot and Pelosi, traitor. And even the New York Times (Editorial Board, June 6th: Obama administration has lost all credibility on the issue of the NSA...

Just listening to Rush He is discussing the increase in people giving up US citizenship. I have thought about this as have many in my family. But where to go? Is it really an option politically and financially? Which culture would be the best fit for an ex-American citizen? What kind of legal hassles would result? Please be specific as to why you feel the country you state is the "best" country to immigrate to; political/social atmosphere, wage, social mobility, entrepreneurial opportunities, etc.

I just got an E-Mail that .22 LR and other types of ammo are available. Sales are going fast and the Sportsmans Guide site keeps going down.

Time – The Overpriced News Brochure ($4.99 for 60 pages) - had an intense erotic experience with the cover story in its August 12th issue, "The Childfree Life: When having it all means not having children." Please note the choice of words – not childless but childfree, like cancer-free, as if children are a life-threatening disease, which is pretty much the way the contraceptive left views them. The organ of elite opinion begins by telling us that today "one in five American women will end their child-bearing years maternity-free, compared to 1 in 10 in the 1970s." In this and...

Religious people are less intelligent than non-believers, according to a new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades. A team led by Miron Zuckerman of the University of Rochester found “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 out of 63 studies. … Previous studies have tended to assume that intelligent people simply “know better”, the researchers write—but the reasons may be more complex. For instance, intelligent people are more likely to be married, and more likely to be successful in life—and this may mean they “need” religion less. …

BEIJING, - China's national tourism agency issued a set of guidelines for Chinese tourists whose behavior overseas has become a source of concern. The marching orders consist of reminders not to litter, speak too loudly in public or commit acts of vandalism like the recent incident in Egypt where a "Ding Jinhao Was Here" suddenly appeared carved into a 3,000 year-old relic. No less than a vice premier said publicly that "improving the civilized quality of the citizens" was a good way of improving China's international image. The reception for the new guidelines, however, wasn't universally warm inside China. ABC...

Zing! But, wait … what? Yes, that happened. Bo the dog reportedly was airlifted to the Obama holiday home. Actor Nick Searcy blasted the move, proclaiming that “the First Snack gets his own plane!” Snicker. Enter Iowahawk, who took the opportunity to not only slam Obama, but to also rightly blast the lapdog press.

It’s not just the government that might be keeping tabs on you. Many retailers are tracking you, too—or at least your merchandise returns. The companies say it’s all in the name of security and fighting fraud. They want to be able to identify chronic returners or gangs of thieves trying to make off with high-end products that are returned later for store credit. Consumer advocates are raising transparency issues about the practice of having companies collect information on consumers and create “return profiles” of customers at big-name stores such as Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Victoria’s Secret, Home Depot and Nike....

I have an upcoming discussion I want to document, risked 11 bucks on one of the little thumb drive recorders from Ebay. The durn thing is clear as a bell, not hifi of course but clear and strong enough for the mission ahead!Next I will get my super spy camera!!

Okay, on a previous thread there was quite a bit of disagreement on this subject and the posts and responses were getting a bit crossed, so I decided to try and compress the arguments a bit. So... here goes... Cats are better than women because: 1. Cats don't care how much money you have. Good cat food and a warm place to sleep and you are golden. 2. Cats do not demand, or even understand the concept of breakfast in bed. Start opening the can or the bag of food and they are on the way. 3. Cats dislike chocolate,...

There's a story on Yahoo! News about a 7 month old boy who had his name (Messiah) changed by a Judge in Tennessee. It's an AP story.

Tom and Jerry fans accuse Warner Brothers of censorship after episodes which show the cat and mouse 'blacked-up' are pulled from new collection • The Golden Collection Volume Two was supposed to be uncut • Two episodes have been taken out because they are deemed 'inappropriate' • Fans have accused Warner Brothers of omitting history Box-set was meant to go on sale two months ago but yet to reach shelves Fans of the classic cartoon Tom and Jerry are furious two episodes deemed 'inappropriate' because they feature the cat and mouse 'blacked-up' have been removed from a new collection. Warner...

Looks like Wells Fargo Bank is experiencing computer glitches. I contacted them on a transaction which I did not make and they insisted I close all my accounts. However, after talking with numerous WFB reps I found out that no web login activity for my account was logged for date in question for the transaction of interest - which was verified by WFB rep to be an on-line transaction. So how can an on-line transaction be processed/requested when their logs indicate no login to request any such transaction. And I made no such request in any form. Either WFB has...

Potential 2016 presidential contender Donald Trump spoke to ABC's Jonathan Karl Sunday morning and reignited the birther issue that he helped spark back in 2011, questioning the legitimacy of Barack Obama's birth certificate and wondering whether Ted Cruz, who was born in Canada, was eligible to president. "Was there a birth certificate?" Trump asked. "You tell me. Some people say that was not his birth certificate. I'm saying I don't know. Nobody knows. And you don't know, either, Jonathan. You're a smart guy, you don't know, either." "I'm pretty convinced he was born in the United States," Karl said. "Ah!...

Friends, it's Sunday night again and time to relax. Warm up the tubes for another 4 hours of classic radio Americana. Listen LiveInfo*tonight's show will be available at the "Info" link starting tomorrow.

Thought some of us could use a bit of a break today, and remembered a differing post just the other day. Cats are better than women because: 1. Cats don't care how much money you have. Good cat food and a warm place to sleep and you are golden. 2. Cats do not understand the concept of breakfast in bed. Start opening the can or the bag of food and they are on the way. 3. Cats dislike chocolate, sneeze on flowers, and attempting to buy them nice clothes to wear will only make them strut away in disdain. They...

From ORB LAB's FB page: Shark fishing season has officially begun for the ORB LAB. Last Friday, a crew struck out to try and recapture sharks carrying tags containing valuable information about the species assemblage encountered by these coastal apex predators. We caught one large female on our first line Friday, but we were not expecting to catch her like this! This unlucky smooth dogfish couldn't resist the menhaden used as bait and unfortunately fell victim to one of the top predators in the bay. The dogfish was about 3 feet long and completely swallowed by the sand tiger shark.

Have at it.

Roger Sperry won the Nobel Prize in 1981 for his work on what is now commonly known as right brain-left brain thinking. Sperry theorized that some very specific activities were controlled by one side of the human brain or the other — for example, the right side controlled creative tasks, while the left side was where logic, language and reasoning lived. People were fascinated by the idea, and in the three decades since, bookstores, television, the Internet and college psychology classes everywhere have been filled with endless discussions of the differences between right-brain, left-brain, and whole-brain thinkers. (Ironically, Sperry’s...

Interesting. I know some of you are pretty anti-Trump, but he's got some good things to say about bringing back American jobs.

Out of all the restaurant chains out there, Buffalo Wild Wings takes the cake for selling the most beer in America, according to CNBC. After launching in 1982, the chain is now open in more than 900 different locations with a wide enough beer selection to keep wing lovers happy.

Some kind of goat won't let motorcycle rider pass him on road.

Jen Psaki, blameless State Department spokeswoman, explained that the hasty evacuation of our embassy in Yemen was not an evacuation but “a reduction in staff.” This proved a problem because the Yemeni government had already announced (and denounced) the “evacuation” — the word normal folks use for the panicky ordering of people onto planes headed out of country. Thus continues the administration’s penchant for wordplay, the bending of language to fit a political need. Obama doesn’t like this terror war. He particularly dislikes its unfortunate religious coloration, which is why “Islamist” is banished from his lexicon. But soothing words, soothing...

About 40 percent of white Americans and about 25 percent of non-white Americans are surrounded exclusively by friends of their own race, according to an ongoing Reuters/Ipsos poll. The figures highlight how segregated the United States remains in the wake of a debate on race sparked by last month’s acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting of unarmed black Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. President Barack Obama weighed in after the verdict, calling for Americans to do some “soul searching” on whether they harbor racial prejudice. There are regions and groups where mixing with people of other races is more common,...

George Washington retired as a lieutenant general and so was technically outranked by the four- and five-star generals of later wars. Thinking this unseemly, Congress passed a resolution in 1976 arranging that Washington be promoted posthumously to “General of the Armies of the United States” and that no officer in the U.S. Army ever be considered to outrank him: Whereas Lieutenant General George Washington of Virginia commanded our armies throughout and to the successful termination of our Revolutionary War; Whereas Lieutenant General George Washington presided over the convention that formulated our Constitution; Whereas Lieutenant General George Washington twice served as...

Another brochure. This time we're delving into what it means to be a Republican, especially the RNC's vision of what it means to be a republican.

1993 vs. 2013

Concert and recording superstar Eydie Gormé, who – performing everything from ballads to bossa nova with singing partner and husband Steve Lawrence – made an indelible impression on American audiences during the swingin' '60s, died Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas, her spokesman, Howard Bragman, tells PEOPLE. She was 84. "Legendary singer and performer Eydie Gorme passed away peacefully today at Sunrise Hospital following a brief illness," Bragman said in a statement. "She was surrounded by her husband, son and other loved ones at the time of her death."

Maggots found in Atlanta airport sandwich, food inspections enhanced ATLANTA — Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport officials tell Channel 2 Action News they are enhancing the way they inspect restaurants inside the airport after a man showed Channel 2 Action News a sandwich he purchased from an airport vendor had maggots. The passenger told Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri he bought a sandwich at an airport restaurant Wednesday morning. When he opened it he said he was stunned to find maggots on it. Joel Woloshuk says he got out his phone and recorded video of the bugs crawling on his focaccia...

I discovered this website while looking to see what the bullies and haters are doing against me and my husband and I found this website and all the horrable things you all have been saying just because Gordon Ramsay lies about me. None of you have ever even been to my restarant before and never even tasted my food. YOU NEVER DID SO WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BULLY AND HATE? MY FOOD IS NOT FROZEN! GORDON NEVER EVEN TRIED MY CAKE! WHY AM I AN EVIL WITCH??? WHO ARE YOU TO THINK YOU CAN GO ON THE INTERNET AND...

Remember when CONgrease got busted for writing blank checks with no balance?

What good is a social media site that punishes people for communicating with each other? That's what a growing number of users are asking after being punished and banned from Facebook for making innocuous comments in posts to others. One of the most egregious examples happened Friday when Examiner.com's Joseph L. Parker thanked someone for liking an article he wrote. On Friday, Parker sent Examiner a screenshot of the message he received telling him his message of thanks was considered "spam" and informing him he was temporarily blocked from posting comments. This kind of complaint is not unusual, but has...

A group of 15 elephants in mourning for a herd member struck and killed by a train have reportedly taken out their anguish on nearby villages, damaging at least 10 homes and partially destroying a schoolhouse. For the last several days, the elephants have remained near the location of the fatal train accident in an ongoing vigil near the village of Matari in eastern India, and the herd has halted several other trains passing through the area. Villagers have been keeping all-night vigils themselves, in an effort to thwart the attacks and hold the elephants back with firecrackers, but so...

If the 2016 Republican Primary was held today (assuming We the Conservatives don't form a third party out of disgust), who would you like to see as the nominee to face Hitlery Clinton ?