Free Republic

FITCH GOES ON RAMPAGE: CUTS SPAIN, ITALY, BELGIUM, CYPRUS, AND SLOVENIA Simone Foxman January 27,2012 Fitch just cut the long-term issuer ratings of 5 EU countries: Belgium: AA+ to AA Spain: AA- to A Italy: A+ to A- Cyprus: BBB to BBB- Slovenia: AA- to A It affirmed Ireland's BBB+ rating with a negative outlook. Borrowing costs have been sinking for these countries lately–particularly for Italy and Spain—after the European Central Bank announced liquidity support measures in early December that have lessened mounting worries about the health of the banking system. While Fitch says that it supports EU leaders actions...

..... During the meeting between the President and the incoming Ambassador from Cyprus to Israel, Dimitris Hatziargrou, the new Ambassador thanked the President for Israel's support during this difficult period since the explosion in the Southern part of the country. "Israel was among the first countries, if not the first, that offered assistance - and this is not a coincidence," Hatziargrou said. He also added, "the time is ripe for improving relations between Cyprus and Israel and I will do everything I can so that the relationship will realize its potential." Later in the day President Peres called the President...

Iran's Oil Mafia April 16, 2007 Frontpagemagazine.com Hassan Daioleslam Robert William (Bob) Ney is a current federal prisoner and a former Ohio Congressman from 1995 until November 3, 2006. Ney pled guilty to charges of conspiracy and making false statements in relation to the Jack Abramoff lobbying and bribery scandal. Ney reportedly received bribes from Abramoff, other lobbyists, and two foreign businessmen - a felon and an arms dealer - in exchange for using his position to advance their interests. Conspicuously missing from this dossier of disservice to the country was Ney’s assistance in the creation of a Washington-based lobbying...

How radical Islam makes you: a bigot religiously - a racist ethnically UNIQUENESS OF ISLAM'S INTOLERANCE While Christianity, ever since the termination of the Crusades and the Spanish inquisitions has no plans to "convert by force" anybody else, nor is ever Buddhism or Judaism, Islam --on the other hand-- even modern day Islam is about to Islamize the world, with any means possible. When (thank God) not "yet" accomplished, the Islamists bigotry has a few levels, the "people of the book" a.k.a. Christians & Jews are "allowed" to stay as an inferior class [Dhimmis], the other non-Muslims are "totally"...

“’Rachel Corrie’ ignores Navy request to stop” SNIPPET: “IDF warns Irish-owned vessel not to approach blockaded Gaza, invites activists to unload humanitarian aid at Ashdod Port. Sail’s organizers turn down offer. Palestinians: Vessel seized some 55 kilometers from Strip. Earlier, US official says vessel should sail to Ashdod in interest of safety”

Minutes south of Interstate 10 and Sealy, the pastures along FM 1458 are their own silent world in the morning. Mists lift to reveal black cattle, brown and spotted horses, snow-white egrets underfoot in lush green grass. Then a concrete mixer comes churning down the blacktop. Just up the road is a small subdivision. More are sure to come as city dwellers, including weekenders and retirees, move out in search of a quieter, simpler life — and relief from city traffic. Although the gradual influx may bring greater changes in the long run, what disturbs residents most is the planned...

"I'm out!!! Got out on the Orient Queen yesterday to Larnaca. Am now in Athens and will be in Chicago tonight. More then. Feel free to share this, as I don't have time to post yet. Got lots of pictures of the evacuation. And about half of the passengers WERE NOT U.S. Citizens!!! Lebanese nationals with Green cards and what all. My group were almost the ONLY people speaking English. It was sickening. MAKE THEM ALL PAY!!! They were treating it as a vacation cruise oblivious that their country is being destroyed. We were so mad we couldn't stand it....

PARIS (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is flying to Cyprus where he intends to take up to 120 evacuees from Lebanon home to Canada on his Canadian Forces plane. Harper announced the surprise side trip on his week-long European diplomatic tour after a meeting with French President Jacques Chirac at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday afternoon. "Because of the seriousness of the situation and our relative proximity to Cyprus, we have decided to take the Canadian Forces aircraft we have been travelling on to help airlift evacuees back home," Harper said in a statement. "The aircraft will be stripped...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A 13-year-old Orlando boy was hospitalized this weekend after falling from a roller coaster ride while acting on a dare from a friend, according to a statement from Cypress Gardens Sunday. Martin Llamas remained in intensive care at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa, hospital officials said. He had been airlifted there Saturday after falling from the Triple Hurricane roller coaster at the Polk County theme park. Hospital officials did not comment on his injuries. According to a preliminary investigation, Llamas was facing the cars behind him as the ride approached a sharp right turn, said Carrie...

T.J. Rodgers, chief executive of the Cypress Semiconductor company, has a reputation as a Silicon Valley iconoclast -- a techie who doesn't play Nerf ball in the aisles and who speaks out to Congress against subsidies and lobbying groups created supposedly to bolster the industry in the global market. His methodical approach to life was formed in part by his Wisconsin upbringing, along with the "play-to-win" gospel of Vince Lombardi. Like many chief executives, Rodgers is also supremely confident, whether it's work or whim, including his latest multimillion dollar hobby -- a bid to make America's best Pinot Noir. His...

Officer investigates possibility of ghosts in his own home By Ilona Carson ABC13 Eyewitness News (5/05/05 - CYPRESS, TX) — Houston's police officers usually hunt down criminals, but one lieutenant has been spending his time hunting ghosts -- in his own home. It has all the makings of a movie, but this isn't fiction - it's a home right here in Texas. In fact, it's just up Highway 249 in Cypress. The home has been drawing ghost-hunters, sight-seers and the curious. It is quite a story. The couple moved in about two years ago. He is a Houston police officer....

Setting the Record: New Trustee Defends His Ideas and His Name By T. J. Rodgers, Guest Columnist Another assistant professor of history, Vernon Takeshita, has written a letter questioning my honesty and integrity regarding race issues. I hope it's the last letter like that. As explained below, this certainly will be the last reply from me on this topic. The terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center have scored one victory beyond the physical -- they have reduced our freedom by causing us to have to deal with measures such as "red alerts" and a government takeover of airport security....

<p>That's T.J. Rodgers, founder of Cypress Semiconductor. As CEO of a Silicon Valley enterprise, Mr. Rodgers has spent his career thinking about how to attract the best people of whatever background and get them to be their best. Now he is hoping to bring that expertise to a place he believes is sorely in need of a lesson: academe.</p>

WINTER HAVEN -- Cypress Gardens is closing its doors for good on Sunday because of declining attendance and a faltering tourism industry. Florida's first theme park, which put Polk County on the map when it was founded 67 years ago, will officially shut down at 7 p.m., a decision the park's owners had virtually no control over, officials said. According to a statement released Thursday afternoon, the park's attendance never recovered from the Sept. 11 attacks, which severely impacted the state's tourism industry. March attendance was down 42,000 visitors from the same time last year, the statement says, and the...