Free Republic

The Hidden Truth About Halloween: Behind the Mask Does the Bible have anything to say about the strange customs surrounding Halloween? In fact, it does—and none of it is good.While God's Holy Days in the Bible celebrate the role of Jesus Christ in bringing mankind to salvation in the eternal family of God (as explained in the following article and our free booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind), Halloween is a celebration of the opposite—of demonism, witchcraft, death and evil spirits.God's Word makes it clear that no one should dare entertain witchcraft or act...

Ward Churchill (remember him?) references the book, Smallpox and the American Indian, during his testimony in his civil suit against the University of Colorado at the City and County Building in Denver, Colorado March 23, 2009. Churchill is suing the University of Colorado for wrongful termination. AP photo. Today, I picked up 2 kids I carpool to the gymnastics club from their magnet school, as I do every Monday. Apparently, there was no mention about Columbus Day. Nada. Zippo. Nothing negative or positive. But they did watch a performance by dancers dressed like Mayan/Aztec Indians; and the older one said...

Barack Obama is merely following precedent by fleeing Washington and big headaches - the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the deteriorating prospects for health care reform, legislation to cool the globe (or should we worry now about warming the globe?), and various "czars" gone wild. He's in Copenhagen with the missus not on the nation's business, but the business of his cronies in Chicago. [Snip] The White House thought [it was a bad idea to skip town] last week, when the president's men said it was unlikely that the president would go to Denmark when there was so much rotten...

A video promoting tourism in Denmark has been removed from YouTube after complaints it promoted promiscuity. The three-minute clip shows a young blonde woman, trying to find a man whom she had a one night stand with, who fathered her child "August". VisitDenmark's manager, Dorte Kiilerich said the film was supposed to be a "nice and sweet story of a woman". But Denmark's Economy Minister, Lene Espersen, said it "was not a very well-thought-out picture of the country". In the advert, the woman says - in English - that she was "trying to find August's father". "We met one night...

PEABODY — It was the contract provision that made Peabody national news. Today, Sept. 11 became a paid holiday for police officers, according to an agreement the police union reached with Mayor Michael Bonfanti last October. The designation means officers will be paid time and a quarter on the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. The provision was groundbreaking. No other police department in the country had such a holiday, and it triggered a backlash, fueled by local and national news stories, against the Peabody police. They were accused of exploiting a national...

A century ago, Labor Day in Bell County was more about brotherhood and less about barbecue. The first Monday in September began 127 years ago as a "working man's holiday," but, in reality, in Bell County, the day emphasized more "working" than "holiday." Far from being the "last day of summer vacation," most Bell Countians anticipated Labor Day for a bountiful cotton harvest. Although the observance is 118 years old in Texas, not until 1909 did Bell County's Labor Day celebrations swell to widespread celebration. Before then, 12-hour shifts were common; worker conditions perilous. Railroads, Temple's major employer, were the...

MUMBAI (AFP) – Marriage hit the rocks? Considering a divorce? An Indian tour operator wants warring couples to hold off consulting lawyers and go on holiday instead -- with a relationship counsellor in tow. KV Tours and Travels, based in the western city of Mumbai, has launched "divorce tourism" packages, designed to get spouses who have fallen out of love to bury the hatchet. "With divorce tourism, what we're trying to do is to bring together couples who are heading towards divorce to stop them," the company's chief executive Vijesh Thakker told AFP. India, where marriage is still viewed as...

These are the one's that everyone in the family says are a must have for all Holiday meals, from Easter to Christmas and everything in between, we think of any reason possible to serve "Gaga's Sweet Potatoes". Gaga is what my son calls my mother, his grandmother, and her sweet potatoes are the big crowd pleaser. We'd be better off forgetting the turkey on Thanksgiving than to show up without these sweet delights.

U.S. President Barack Obama has declared Monday, July 27th, as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. The White House released the proclamation Saturday, a day before the armistice ending the Korean War was signed in 1953. Obama said that by virtue of the authority vested in him by the Constitution, he proclaims July 27th as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. He urged all Americans to observe the day with ceremonies honoring and giving thanks to distinguished Korean War veterans. He also asked federal departments, interested groups, organizations and individuals to fly the flag at half-staff in memory of fallen...

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2009 – As the United States completed its withdrawal of combat forces from Iraqi cities in accordance with today’s deadline, Baghdad commemorated the milestone with a national holiday. The departing American brigades and battalions leave behind a significantly smaller contingent of U.S. trainers and advisors in the cities, where Iraqi forces now have primary authority, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said. The move comes as part of the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq. “A small number of U.S. forces will remain in cities to train, advise, coordinate with Iraqi security forces,...

The world's first burger pilgrimage has been announced allowing 'food tourists' to pay homage to the humble fast-food. The itinerary takes in 16 cities in eight countries that are deemed to have played a pivotal role in the evolution of the burger. The Burger Pilgrimage Trip, cooked up by fast-food giant Burger King, will take 35 days to complete and cost a whopping £3,400. It is aimed at the rapidly growing number of 'food tourists'. Historically, the burger started as a meatball in classical Roman times, with more sophisticated versions developing in the Middle Ages. Sarah Power, marketing director of...

Hug a tree. Recycle. But don't forget the biodegradable "green" poop bags to ensure your dog has a small carbon pawprint. Yes, Earth Day has come to this.

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2009 – A California based troop-support group has collected and mailed more than 600 Easter baskets as part of April’s observance of the Month of the Military Child. “Because the Easter bunny and children go hand-in-hand, our Easter project was directly targeted to the children,” said Karla Davis, Pennsylvania state coordinator for Soldiers’ Angels. “We were blessed enough with support for sending out over 610 Easter baskets this year. There were also several hundred gift cards sent with the baskets to help the parents in purchasing Easter dinner.” The majority of the baskets went directly to...

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has proposed to eliminate as a public holiday Emancipation Day, which commemorates Abraham Lincoln’s decision in 1862 to free slaves in the District.

Hey folks, Harry here... I don't know about you, but I have an eternal love for Maurice LaMarche due to his voice work as THE BRAIN from PINKY AND THE BRAIN. So when I received an email telling me that The Brain was declaring this date "3-22" forever to be INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE WILLIAM SHATNER day... including his expert advice on how to Talk like William Shatner... well... I had to share. Only 192 people had seen his podcast - and that number needs to go up significantly. I mean... on June 4th you can own Kirk's Captain chair for...

It was 1807 — 202 years ago — that the Lee family in Virginia welcomed a baby boy and named him Robert Edward. Monday is the birthday of that great American, Gen. Robert E. Lee, and is also a state holiday. Robert E. Lee never came to Mississippi, but other than the many men from here who fought under his command during the War Between the States, he may have had an unusual Vicksburg connection. Was he wearing boots, a gift from two Vicksburg sisters, when he met with Gen. U.S. Grant at Appomattox on April 9, 1865? That is...

A Geithner Tax Holiday for All of Us?January 15, 2009 BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Now we have learned, ladies and gentlemen, well, we've learned a lot about Tim Geithner. He's not gonna get away with ignorance. The International Monetary Fund informed Geithner on his taxes, they informed every employee four times a year when the quarterly estimates are due, what their taxes are. They are paid the gross. Oh, you know what else I learned about this? All IMF employees are paid the gross, and then every quarter they have to file estimated taxes based on their earnings for that quarter...

Nativity scenes made of real straw. Wise Men 2 feet tall. Menorahs bigger than a human being.   Holiday display in Teaneck. In many North Jersey municipalities, those sacred symbols can be found at the same place people get dog licenses, pay taxes and apply for building permits — town hall.  The display of religious items on public property has long been a charged discussion in American communities, and the case law governing holiday displays is still murky enough to confound local governments trying to create a festive atmosphere for residents.* Fair Lawn for years just lit a holiday tree....

Servicemembers walk alongside their float during the inaugural Joint Base Balad holiday parade, Dec. 25, 2008. Photo by Airman 1st Class Jason Epley, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. JOINT BASE BALAD — The sight may have been out of the ordinary, but for some strange reason, seeing reindeer, sleighs and Santa Claus detained by U.S. Navy Customs agents did not surprise service members here Christmas Day. This odd scene took place along the route of the inaugural Joint Base Balad Holiday Parade, sponsored by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and displayed the sense of tradition U.S. servicemembers try to...

My Triumph Over Kwanzaa! Ann Coulter Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Is it just me, or does Kwanzaa seem to come earlier and earlier each year? This year, I believe my triumph over this synthetic holiday is nearly complete. The only mentions of Kwanzaa I've seen are humorous ones. Most important, for the first time in eight years, President George Bush appears not to have issued "Kwanzaa greetings" to honor this phony non-Christian holiday that is younger than I am. It is a fact that Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by a black radical FBI stooge, Ron Karenga, aka Dr. Maulana...

This year was a lean year as far as Christmas presents go. We didn’t exchange with family that was ‘far away” so that cut down out costs, but it also severely cut the number under the tree for the two kids. Our kids knew it had been a tight year and when they gave us their lists, I could tell they were being conservative on purpose (despite being teenagers) by the number of items on their list. You know, my husband has a well-paying job – and after three friend’s husband’s losing their jobs this year, I am truly grateful...

BAGHDAD — Iraq's Christians, a small minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim country, quietly celebrated Christmas on Thursday with a present from the government, which declared it an official holiday for the first time. But security worries overshadowed the day for many, particularly in the north where thousands of Christians have fled to escape religious attacks. Overall security in Iraq has improved markedly in the past year, but a fatal car bombing in Baghdad on Christmas morning was a gruesome reminder that serious problems remain. The bombing outside a restaurant frequented by police killed four people and wounded 25 others in...

WASHINGTON — 'Tis the season for making whoopee. The Christmas-New Year's period produces a year-high spike in sexual activity and conceptions in the United States, according to biorhythm researchers and makers of sex-related products. They attribute the increase to holiday leisure and New Year's resolutions to have children. New Year's irresolution fueled by alcohol and partying is another contributing factor. "Right before New Year's Eve is our highest sales peak," said David Johnson, group product manager for Trojan brand condoms, the leading U.S. seller. As expected, the holiday urge surge also expresses itself as a peak in U.S. births in...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2008 – Although far from home, a deployed soldier here will continue a long-standing holiday tradition with his family in Louisiana. Army Lt. Col. Stephen Jeselink, Task Force Warrior deputy commander, is recorded while reading the poem “The Night Before Christmas” at the USO at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2008. Through the United Through Reading military program, the Jeselink family in Louisiana will be able to continue a long-standing holiday tradition of listening to Stephen read the poem on Christmas Eve. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Every Christmas Eve,...

Many supposed holiday hazards are as innocuous as a tepid mug of apple cider. A review article in the current issue of the British Medical Journal cites five fears that can officially be crossed off the holiday worry list.

The History of Christmas in America An Ancient Holiday The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home...

At least in this case study from Absurd Britannia, the backtracking began almost immediately. "Mother told to take down her Christmas lights... in case they offend her non-Christian neighbours," from the Daily Mail, December 16 (thanks to James): A woman has spoken of how she was told to remove her Christmas lights by a housing association worker - in case they offended her non-Christian neighbours. Dorothy Glenn decorates her home in South Shields with hundreds of festive lights every year, including a giant tree and a 4ft Santa Claus. But she was left stunned this year when a South Tyneside...

For 130 years they have been part of Christmas, filling the air in towns across the land with music and carols. But one thing is missing from the repertoire of Salvation Army bands this year - the percussion of rattling tins. Members have been forbidden to shake their charity tins - even if it's done in time to the music - in case it harasses or intimidates people. One said she had been told it might also offend other religions. Tin man: Salvation Army collectors have been told not to rattle their tins as it could be construed as religious...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2008 – A Christmas tree farm in Whitehouse, Ohio, is celebrating the holiday season by giving away 100 Christmas trees to military families. “We've been giving trees to military families since the war started,” Duke Wheeler, owner of Whitehouse Christmas Tree Farm, said. “We feel it's important to let these families know that we appreciate their sacrifices. … We're grateful for all that they do.” The tree farm is giving away 7-foot Christmas trees through Dec. 20 to military families who have a servicemember overseas or a servicemember who recently returned from duty. Family members can cut...

No other stimulus provision will be as immediate and as effective,' says small business lobby Posted: December 14, 2008 10:51 pm Eastern © 2008 WorldNetDaily WASHINGTON – Big business bailouts and "economic stimulus packages" are all the rage in the Capitol these days. Most involve massive transfers of wealth from taxpayers to government-directed projects. But a new and very different bill, proposed by a heretofore little-known congressman from Texas, is gaining traction from Republicans – and even a few Democrats, according to the sponsor. It's called "the tax-holiday plan." And one version of it picked up support from the National...

BAGHDAD – More than 1.2 million Iraqi citizens passed through the gates of Zawra Park in northwest Baghdad’s Karkh district as they gathered with friends and family to celebrate the Eid al-Adha Dec. 8-11. This is a time of year when many families come together; and this year, those families chose to spend time together by visiting the park or touring the Baghdad Zoo to take in many of the recently opened exhibits. Dr. Adel Salman Mosa, the zoo’s director, expressed his happiness and excitement over the size of the crowds during the past week. “During the Eid celebration in...

A Muslim lawyer has launched an extraordinary rant against Christmas, branding the celebration 'evil'. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary claimed the festival was the 'pathway to hell' and urged his followers to boycott it. 'In the world today many Muslims, especially those residing in Western countries, are exposed to the evil celebration Christmas,' he raged in a sermon broadcast on the internet. 'Many take part in the festival celebrations by having Christmas turkey dinners. 'Decorating the house, purchasing Christmas trees or having Christmas turkey meals are completely prohibited by Allah. 'Many still practise this corrupt celebration as a remembrance of the...

The Baltimore school board voted last night to close city schools on Jan. 20, the day of President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. No other school system in the metropolitan area is planning to close on Inauguration Day, but many of the districts surrounding Washington are, including Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Schools in Charles and St. Mary’s counties also will close. http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-inauguration1210,0,4449258.story

Okay, enough is enough already.Of course, enough was enough the last time I had enough.Let's pretend for a moment ...Imagine if, at a company picnic, I introduced my better half to a co-worker this way: "Bill, this is 'wife.' ""Nice to meet you, wife. Did you bring your kids?""Over there, tossing the baseball ... that's child and child.""They look like you, homosapien, my friend." Clearly, the United States of America has reached the point of dippy secular correctness, where to even acknowledge the very name of a holiday - a federal holiday at that - is so potentially offensive that...

Merry Christmas!Greetings Singles! A few months ago, we decided to try to run a monthly thread, but as you can see, we haven't had much luck. Life has been busy for me and I know for at least one other host. We've had the misfortune of seeing the least qualified candidate ever nominated by either party elected to our nation's highest office, and that event has certainly hurt the morale of many of us. By this time next year, Pelosi, Reid, and SOBama may have shut down Free Republic by application of the so-called "fairness doctrine." They're doing their best...

I looked and looked for this story I had heard as a kid. I finally found it on one website while searching for it online. It really puts you in the Christmas spirit: TEACH THE CHILDREN THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS One December night, many years ago, I had just finished decorating for Christmas when I heard a noise at the front of the house. I turned on the porch light and opened the door. To my surprise just as I stepped outside, I saw Santa Claus climbing out of his sleigh. He placed his fingers over his lips, silencing...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2008 – As they have for 85 years, Americans gathered in front of the White House on the area known as the Ellipse last night for a ceremony to light the national Christmas tree. President George W. Bush reminded the large crowd gathered for the 2008 Pageant of Peace that there’s meaning behind the ceremony. “During Christmas, we celebrate the blessings of the season and the blessings that surround us every day,” Bush said. “And the greatest of these blessings is freedom. Today, we give thanks to the brave men and women who protect the American...

I got my first Happy Holidays today and I decided to wish all my freeper friends out there a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy and Prosperous NEW YEAR. To JimROB and the rest of his motley crew, you promised to come back down to Texas and "set a spell". To Mr and Mrs Trooprally, thanks for keeping me from freezing to death on my trips to DC. To BufordP, well thanks for going down that road to temporary insanity with me. To Albion Wilde, thanks for making us feel right at home. To Kristinn, Merry Christmas to you and...

<p>People in 18th century dress greeted visitors Tuesday at Federal Hall, commemorating the end of the Revolutionary War.</p> <p>The costumed reenactors were busy answering questions about the 225th anniversary of Evacuation Day, the day in 1783 when the last British redcoats boarded ships in New York Harbor and sailed away, and Gen.George Washington and his victorious troops marched down Broadway.</p>

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Snowflake parties have been multiplying, winter light festivals have been abounding, and holiday concerts have filled school halls with joyous tones.But Christians are saying, “Enough with the political correctness run amok. We want our Christmas back!” Consider: When Patchogue Village on Long Island, N.Y., renamed its Christmas boat parade a “holiday” event, Fireworks by Grucci dropped its $5,000 donation. Three thousand supportive calls, e-mails and letters poured into the company. Philip Butler, the company’s vice president, even received e-mail thanks from a U.S. Army colonel in Iraq.When the American Humanist Association, a Washington, D.C.-based atheist group, launched...

In Perry County, Alabama, there was no time to waste. Action had to be taken.And with a kind of urgency rarely seen in government (unless it is appropriating trillions of dollars in bailout money), the county commission did it. It's official.Barack Obama Day is on the books.As the Associated Press Reports: The Perry County commission voted 4 to 1 to observe the second Monday in November as "The Barack Obama Day." County offices will close and its roughly 40 workers will get a paid holiday.The sponsoring commissioner said the holiday is meant to give people faith that difficult goals can...

While Americans are forced to use cheap ballpoint pens, Scrooge & Marley executives use bailout money for fancy-schmancy feather quills. Officials from the Bush administration and members of president-elect Barack Obama's economic team are finishing up a proposal to bail out the world's biggest counting house, Scrooge & Marley. Once a financial powerhouse with a sterling balance sheet, the firm has reportedly fallen into wasteful spending practices, heaping money on extra lumps of coal for the employee's personal heater and providing a luxurious medical plan for the family of Scrooge & Marley's number two man, Bob Cratchit. Scrooge &...

Hey lefties! Looking for that perfect gift for your right-wing friends who are hosting a holiday party? Give this a try! NOTE: The author of this comic requests that you visit his web site and please refrain from pasting the cartoon within this thread. Thanks!

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2008 – U.S. troops serving in the Middle East will dine on a traditional Thanksgiving meal tomorrow, thanks to the efforts of Defense Supply Center Philadelphia employees. The supply center has sent thousands of pounds of food – including more than 120,000 pounds of whole turkeys and more than 170,000 pies -- to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Dubai and Djibouti. The center has sent the following items overseas for tomorrow’s meal: -- Whole turkey: 121,108 pounds, worth $323,228.60; -- Turkey breast meat: 109,780 pounds, worth $437,991.49; -- Turkey thigh meat: 145,780 pounds, worth $361,852.66; -- Ham:...

My oldest niece is graduating from high school next month and we are trying to come up with cool and different things to serve and other ideas for her open house. We'd appreciate any recipes, hints, what not to do, etc. etc..

FORT BELVOIR, Va., Nov. 20, 2008 – Army Spc. Christina Beerman favors her dad’s pies and mom’s stuffing, but the Christmas spread she ate at a dining facility in Iraq three years ago was enough to earn her praise for being “phenomenal.” Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Andy Zhang enjoys Thanksgiving dinner in 2007 with his 8-month-old son aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, along with more than 500 sailors and their families. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Camarynn Miller  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “They really went all-out, with turkey and dressing – all the traditional items, even...

ScienceDaily (Nov. 18, 2008) — Anne Blue Wills, assistant professor of religion at Davidson, explains that the current version of Thanksgiving was created by a journalistic crusader, and would have been unrecognizable to the Pilgrims it supposedly honors.The holiday came about through fifty years of relentless promotion by Sarah Hale, editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book and Magazine. She promoted it in columns and stories in her magazine until President Abraham Lincoln finally bestowed it national recognition.Wills emphasized that Thanksgiving was never a regular ritualized holiday during the Pilgrim era. Instead, it was an occasional event declared as needed by clergy...

Obama Holiday Rallies Turned Away by Topeka McDonald's @ 3:12 pm by Chris Good After Internet news circles buzzed Monday about an activist's plans for a national holiday in honor of President-elect Barack Obama, the Kansas McDonald's slated to host the holiday-promoting rallies has said "no." Activist Sonny Scroggins, leader of a group called Bias Busters of Kansas, had planned to hold rallies at a downtown Topeka McDonald's every Tuesday to plan a push for an Obama holiday. A Topeka Capital-Journal story about Scroggins' plans caught some national attention Monday after being featured prominently on the Drudge Report. The McDonald's...

The local push for a national holiday commemorating Barack Obama's election to the U.S. presidency ricocheted around the Internet over the weekend, drawing criticism from notable conservative critics and nearly crashing The Topeka Capital-Journal's Web site with an influx of traffic.The holiday drive is the brainchild of local activist Sonny Scroggins, who had planned to hold brainstorming sessions at the downtown McDonald's every morning and night until Obama's inauguration. He said "America grew up" on election night.Scroggins, who is known for his sometimes quixotic crusades against social injustice, said voting results last week were among the "most profound things that...

Goodbye, Inauguration Day. Hello, Obama Day! That’s the hope of some Obama supporters in Kansas who are organizing “Yes We Can” rallies to “secure a national holiday in Obama’s honor,” according to the Topeka Capitol-Journal. They also plan to serve “Obama cake” at the local McDonald’s during the swearing-in. “Obama cake.” Goes great with Kool-Aid. Barack Obama may be the King of Cool, but his followers are afflicted with brain fever. Fans faint at his campaign events. Harvard academics want George Bush and Dick Cheney to resign immediately. His transition team co-chair told Tom Brokaw she wants President-elect Obama ready...