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Gingrich says Pelosi is living in a fantasy worldBy Alicia M. Cohn - 01/25/12 09:32 AM ET Newt Gingrich said Nancy Pelosi is living in a fantasy world if she thinks she has dirt on him. "She lives in a San Francisco environment of very strange fantasies and very strange understandings of reality," Gingrich said Wednesday as he laughed off the notion that the House minority leader could derail his bid for the GOP presidential nomination. "I have no idea what's in Nancy Pelosi's head," Gingrich said on NBC's "Today" show. "If she knows something, I have a simple challenge:...

Anne McCaffrey wasn't just the inventor of Pern, the world where a whole society is based on dragon-riding. She was also an incredibly influential author who helped transform the way science fiction and fantasy authors wrote about women, and the way all of us thought about bodies and selfhood. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award, as well as a Grand Master of science fiction.

Patient: Wayne, Bruce DOB: 2/16/1971 Occupation: Industrialist Insurance: Self-pay Emergency Contact: Dick Grayson, XXX-269-9637 Interval History: Patient was seen for his last annual physical approximately one year ago. Since that time he has had numerous visits for acute illnesses or injuries, generally accompanied either by his companion Mr. Grayson or Alfred, a senior member of his household staff. These recent maladies appear to be in keeping with the pattern that has emerged over the past several years, in which significant medical problems are associated with odd or incongruous explanations. Most recently, patient was seen for numerous areas of lower extremity...

Everybody knows the modern world lacks enchantment. As a premise, that assertion is unprovable, but movies and TV shows have been saying it forever, so we just accept it as a trope, like, “The suburbs are shallow” and “When the railroads came, the Wild West became civilized.” Any program built around it is therefore better off not dwelling on it, and focusing its energies instead on other, more basic pleasures: characterization, plot, atmosphere. Two new network shows are built around fairy tales and the absence of magic in modern life — ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” which debuted Sunday at...

Welcome to Storybrooke, Maine where the townsfolk are fairy tale characters - but they don't know it. The fantasy series Once Upon a Time premiered last night on ABC. Who watched it? Read the plot synopsis on Wikipedia. Watch the pilot online at ABC.com. Review at The Hollywood Reporter. Analysis at The Hollywood Reporter. IMDb

A girl with hair dyed cherry red wears goggles, a tight corset, a lacy Victorian dress and black military boots. Her friend, a gent, dons a top hat, an early 1900s gas mask, fingerless leather gloves and crimson canvas trousers. He holds a pistol that looks like a fusion between the Wild West and a 1950s sci-fi flick. All of this is not some new fashion trend. It's Steampunk, and it's been around for a while.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's decision not to run for president is predictable and offers the possibility of changing the dynamic of the Republican primary election. With Florida, South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire all moving up the dates of their primaries and caucuses, it simply became impossible and impractical to raise the money and organize campaigns in those states in the less than 100 days that remain. In the long term, the renewed speculation about Gov. Christie's candidacy can only raise his profile nationally as well as his stature in New Jersey where poll numbers have been steadily climbing...

Having been a fan of NASCAR for decades, I've noticed what some others may have realized about Sarah Palin, and the importance of timing in official entry into the race for the nomination. Sarah Palin's been in the race, whether anybody realized it or not, since November 5th, 2008. Her position as McCain's running mate and the very positive influence she had on the race meant that the party's base would look to her for leadership in that position unless she openly demurred. After stepping aside from her office in July 2009, Governor Palin began to carry the burgeoning...

FReepers, I need at least three new teams to sign up to play fantasy football. Last year in my first year I won the league. It was a blast too! So, Go to Yahoo Fantasy Football sign up page and use our League ID# 673974 and PW Blitz to join our custom by invitation only league. See you on the gridiron. Our drafts this weekened

Join up today, this seasons gonna be a blast. We are opening things up at bit to make ours a more realistic FF league. Please join us or let Obama isolate us and we all die'

More than 5,000 of you nominated. More than 60,000 of you voted. And now the results are in. The winners of NPR's Top 100 Science-Fiction and Fantasy survey are an intriguing mix of classic and contemporary titles...

I have one league that's going strong into its 6th year and is full. I have, however, started a second league that's "experimental" in that it's designed to produce regular NFL type scores (i.e. 17-10, 24-20, 14-13) type stuff. It may or may not be renewed next year but thought I'd try it. If you'd like to join, FReepmail me for league ID and password. Note it's a LIVE ONLINE DRAFT on Yahoo! scheduled for the weekend before the regular season starts.

Dear Football Patriots, Below is the enrollment information you'll need to join up. Did you play with us last year? You need to give me your FR user name and real name for my records alone. All it takes is one disruptor from DU to ruin it for all of us. How long have you been posting on FR? What are your pet FF peeves? How can we make the game more exciting for you? What rules would you like to see altered/eliminated? Remember, we can change any rule we don't like. This is still America! Give me all your...

SO, Let's get ready for some FOOOTTBALLLLs, a nightime Party Let's face it, last year we had about a dozen lame, slow witted dolts who were not exceptional Americans. Let alone exceptional American football fans. These folks only joined FR, so they could play in a FF league. Not FReepers playing fantasy football, but posers who can't get invited into any other league. FReeper People, we can do so much better!

SO, Let's get ready for some FOOOTTBALLLLs, a nightime Party Let's face it, last year we had about a dozen lame, slow witted dolts who were not exceptional Americans. Let alone exceptional American football fans. These folks only joined FR, so they could play in a FF league. Not FReepers playing fantasy football, but posers who can't get invited into any other league. FReeper People, we can do so much better!

Joel Rosenberg, a Minneapolis gun rights advocate and author of several fantasy novels, has died. His wife, Felicia, posted a message on the “Free Joel Rosenberg” website, saying he died Thursday evening at Hennepin County Medical Center. “On Wednesday afternoon, June 1, 2011, Joel had a respiratory depression that caused a heart attack, anoxic brain damage and major organ failure. Despite the very best efforts of the paramedics and the team at Hennepin County Medical Center, Joel was pronounced brain dead at around 5:37 p.m. Thursday June 2nd, In accordance with his wishes, he shared the gift of life through...

As lefties gloat over the political implications of Osama bin Laden’s demise, and the media ramp up an “Obama bounce� meme, conservatives should politely but persistently shift the conversation from politics to policy. In my latest column for Townhall, I draw on a number of fascinating news accounts elucidating how the our military and intelligence community finally nailed bin Laden. US officials describe a “mosaic� of intelligence that ultimately led a team of Navy SEALs to a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan — suggesting that it took many years and myriad sources to pinpoint bin Laden’s precise location. As we now...

We have confirmation that Joanna Russ, 74, died this morning peacefully around 7:15 a.m. in hospice care in Tucson AZ. She has been ill since suffering a stroke in February 2011. Russ was a critic and SF writer, best known for The Female Man (1975).

Like it did with Boardwalk Empire in September, HBO just renewed Game of Thrones moments after the ratings for the premiere episode were in. For Game of Thrones, those ratings were solid, not great. But, also like with Boardwalk Empire, HBO invested in elaborate sets and designs in re-creating the world from George R.R. Martin's books, so a second season was considered a sure thing. And while HBO brass pay attention to ratings, the numbers have never been the deciding factor in the network's renewal decisions as proven by the pickups of shows like Treme, Bored to Death and In...

So JRR Tolkien walks into the HBO meeting and pitches his great new fantasy idea: "It's set long ago, and there's this magic ring, and some hobbits – they're like organic dwarves – and there's this wizard with a long white beard, and, and …" Four hours later he gets to the end of his summary. "Not bad," says one executive, "but what about the second season?"

At first glance, the numbers released by the Census Bureau last week showing a precipitous drop in Detroit’s population — 25 percent over the last decade — seem to bear a silver lining: most of those leaving the city are blacks headed to the suburbs, once the refuge of mid-century white flight. But a closer analysis of the data suggests that the story of housing discrimination that has dominated American urban life since the early 20th century is far from over. Detroit is not the only American city to face persistent residential segregation, but it is among the worst: it...

Famous British writer Diana Wynne Jones has passed away on 26th March, 2011 after fighting a long battle with lung cancer. Among her famous books are Howl’s Moving Castle, Archers Goon, Dogs body and Fire & Hemlock. Diana Wynne Jones was one of the most renowned fantasy writers.

What to Make of SEIU Official's Supposed Socialist Fantasy PlanBy John Hudson Mar 22, 2011 A new tape posted on Glenn Beck's political website, The Blaze, purportedly shows a former Service Employees International Union official sharing plans to "destabilize the country." In the seven-minute video, a voice that sounds like Stephen Lerner, the former director of private equity at the SEIU pictured above, details plans to "bring down the stock market," bankrupt major U.S. banks and create an environment where a weakened financial sector cedes power to union organizers and the middle class in general. The talk purportedly happened at...

I am the commissioner for two Yahoo! based fantasy baseball leagues. We need one replacement manager to take over "Home of the Braves". You can choose your own team name when you register. This is a standard, 5x5, rotisserie,keeper league. You can protect 3 batters and 3 pitchers. The number of keepers may change at the end of the season based on the consensus of the managers. Draft is a serpentine autodraft in order of notice to me of intent to participate. FReepmail me with a subject of 'Free Republicans' if you are interested. The other league is a standard,...

Radio host and author Paul A. Ibbetson's fictional version of Animal Farm with a conservative twist. The delightful tale of Oliver the Squirrel unfolds on this departure from the conservative political discussions found previously in Ibbetson's books. Oliver's Tale is a thinker's piece and while written in the same spirit as George Orwell's Animal Farm it has its own unique social, political, and religious message to be discovered by readers. Surrounded by a colorful cast of animal characters, Oliver experiences a spiritual growth in his relationship with God as he becomes privy to the secret plan of the Gray Skunk,...

A challenge: Find some example of government overreach, describe it briefly, and suggest not only its repeal, but some replacement language that might prevent a repeat.

Minutes after Naomi Watts, movie star, arrived at the CIA’s secret Virginia training center called The Farm, she was thrown to the ground in a way that left bruises. When she cried out in pain, her instructor glared and informed her, “Don’t say 'ow’ again unless you need to go to the hospital.” During the days that followed, she was “stripped of everything that cloaked her in specialness,” said director Doug Liman. The actress chose the rough treatment, Liman said. He chose Watts to play Valerie Plame Wilson, the spy who was outed in one of the most controversial episodes...

Nancy Pelosi confident she'll be Democratic leader By: Jonathan Allen November 6, 2010 06:50 PM EDT In a letter sent to fellow Democratic lawmakers Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California expresses confidence that she will be elected minority leader and calls for the party to “further modernize” and “communicate” the message that helped them win the House in 2006. "In the 24 hours since I wrote seeking your views and your vote for Democratic Leader, I have been very gratified by the extensive and enthusiastic support I have received. Many of our colleagues, from all areas of our diverse...

They may win as many 190 House contests! You heard it here first!!!

When the Lord told the Jaredites he would lead them to a new land (Ether 2:7), he also instructed them to build eight barges to traverse the waters to their new destination (v. 16). According to Ether, these barges, which were patterned after Noah's Ark (6:7), were "tight like unto a dish," peaked at both ends and had holes that could be unplugged to allow ventilation (2:17, 20). The story of Noah, or some equivalent figure, is found in a wide array of ancient non-biblical literature and could easily have been known to the ancient Jaredites. Some of these traditions...

History tells us that organizations, movements, even entire nations can go mad in much the same way an individual does, with the same expression of irrationality, frenzy, and violence. Recent evidence suggests that the American left is going through precisely such a breakdown. In his memoir Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Carl Jung, the psychiatric pioneer who was smarter than Freud, discussed a particular case history in which a patient told of a troubling dream: he was repeatedly confronted with the image of a howling feces-covered baby. Jung had no immediate explanation, and thought about little else for several days. At last...

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910) is the earliest surviving film version of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel...

Hello FReepe Nation! I recently started a Fantasy Basketball League over at ESPN. I've never tried this with basketball, being more a fan of baseball and football. My previous invitation for football went well. Thanks to those of you who joined. This is a 10-team league and we need 7 more owners. Here's the link to the league website so you can look around and see if you'd like to throw your hat in the ring: http://games.espn.go.com/fba/leagueoffice?leagueId=17085&seasonId=2011 If you'd like to join, send me a FreepMail with an e-mail address so I can send you an invitation. Thanks and God...

It's Hockey Season Again....Join the Freeper Fantasy League. Openings still avaialble. Head to Head play each week with playoffs at the end of the season. Freepmail me if interested!

Hello FReepe Nation! I recently started a Fantasy Basketball League over at ESPN. I've never tried this with basketball, being more a fan of baseball and football. My previous invitation for football went well. Thanks to those of you who joined. Here's the link to the league website so you can look around and see if you'd like to throw your hat in the ring. http://games.espn.go.com/fba/leagueoffice?leagueId=17085&seasonId=2011 If you'd like to join, send me a FreepMail with an e-mail address so I can send you an invitation. Thanks and God Bless FReeperNation.

There's a big push in some corners of the US transportation industry to "bring high speed rail to America". Visions of relaxed, latte-sipping trips over the nation, no lines for security, low cost trips are certainly heady ideas, but do they bear out? Let's take a critical, cold, calculating look at the reality of the situation. As many know, I split my time between the US (Seattle, WA area) and Asia (predominantly Shanghai, China). China's been on a high speed rail building frenzy recently, and there are thousands of kilometers of line laid, with thousands more to come. Soon most...

What will you do when push comes to shove? Will you accept the marxist slavery or will you fight!?

An American boy based in Indonesia has been selected to play the role of Barack Obama in the upcoming movie about the US president’s childhood in Jakarta. “Obama Anak Menteng” (“Obama The Menteng Kid”) is expected to begin filming this week and rushed into Indonesian cinemas by June 17. The film is based on the novel of the same name, which author Damien Dematra claims to be a true account of “Barry’s” childhood in the Jakarta suburb. He reportedly wrote the novel in just five days after five days of research. Hasan Faruq Ali, selected for the role, told a...

Up from SlaveryThere's no such thing as a golden age of lost liberty For many libertarians, "the road to serfdom" is not just the title of a great book but also the window through which they see the world. We’re losing our freedom, year after year, they think. They (we) quote Thomas Jefferson: “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” We read books with titles like Freedom in Chains, Lost Rights, The Rise of Federal Control over the Lives of Ordinary Americans, and yes, The Road to Serfdom. The Cato Institute's boilerplate...

Looking back on a full year of having Barack Obama as president of the United States, Flannery O'Conner's cautionary words come to mind: "To expect too much is to have a sentimental view of life and this is a softness that ends in bitterness." The Journal of Economic Psychology published an article in 2003 entitled, Blessed are those who expect nothing: Lowering expectations as a way of avoiding disappointment. The abstract outlined how "people can try to avoid disappointment: namely, by lowering their expectations about obtaining a desired but uncertain outcome." The article points out, "Disappointment is experienced when the...

Most health-care discussions are like something out of Alice in Wonder land. The biggest complaint about the medical care is "it costs too much." Yet one looks in vain for anything in the pending legislation that will lower the costs. One of the biggest reasons for higher medical costs is that somebody else is paying those costs, whether an insurance company or the government. What's the politicians' answer? To have more costs paid by insurance companies and the government. Back when the "single payer" was the patient, people were more selective about what they spent their money on. You went...

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has long touted the wonderful fantasy of high-speed trains. On the authority's Web site, viewers are shown a sleek, ultramodern train zooming through a backdrop of green rolling hills and lush scenery, all at speeds up to 225 miles per hour. Not only is high-speed rail fast, but you'll be able to hop on a high-speed train without going through those bothersome security checkpoints they have in airports, resulting in a travel time from San Francisco to Anaheim of under three hours. Is anything missing from this picture? Only reality. When the imagination of dazzling...

This past weekend, President Obama’s top economic advisor, Larry Summers, said the “recession is over.” But in the next breath he called for more government action to stimulate the economy, in particular, the pace of hiring. As far as the Administration is concerned, it is government stimulus that brought us this recovery. Now, it’s just a matter of piling on even more government spending to generate job growth. In one sense we agree completely with Mr. Summers. The recession is over. In fact, the economy has been growing since June. This came as no surprise to us. “An economic recovery...

I thought I would start a thread for all of you Science Fiction and Fantasy readers. I know it has been done in the past, but it seemed like a good time to run it again. If you have any favorite books or stories to recommend post it for others to share. I have received some excellent advice on some good reads. Maybe you have a good title or author to recommend.

A young woman cried rape after 'fulfilling a fantasy' of having sex with two strangers, a court heard yesterday. Chloe Dolton, 22, was 'bored' with her life and willingly engaged in the threesome after an argument with her boyfriend, it was alleged...

Here are my selections for the most pretentious science fiction - fantasy TV shows (RELAX - THE CYNICISM IS ALL IN FUN!): 5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 - 2003) - Pretty much a chick series. 4. V (original - including miniseries' - 1983 - 1985) - Nazi lizard people invade the earth. 3. Alien Nation (1989 - 1990) - A message series with one message - racism is evil. We get it. Next. (amazingly enough, this series spawned five made for TV movies, which were viewed by all 500 of its fans) 2. Beauty and the Beast (1987 -...

The United States and its ally South Korea have drawn up a contingency plan to cope with emergencies in North Korea, including a possible regime change there, a report said Sunday. "Operational Plan (OPLAN) 5029" was completed by Seoul and Washington recently, Yonhap news agency said, quoting an unnamed Seoul source. It dictates how to respond case-by-case to such emergencies in North Korea as a civil war, an outflow of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), a mass influx of refugees or a natural disaster, Yonhap said. Under the plan, the United States assumes the role of eliminating North Korea's WMDs,...

According to Democrats, health care reform must be passed this very moment even though it would not kick in until 2013. But don't worry, it would start taxing Americans in 2010, three years before you get nothing. All of this probably adds up to the most expensive dependency program yet devised.

Sarkozy said it: Obama and his fellow progressives are trying to live in a virtual world. Sooner or later, this attempt always fails. Before it is too late, we must make our leaders understand that we all live in the real world. Only then can we hope to deal with the real world’s all-too-real dangers. When we must take advice from France on facing danger, we know that things have gone too far.