Free Republic

In his new book, "Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage," Best-selling celebrity journalist, Christopher Andersen, has blown a huge hole in the Obama genius myth without intending to do so. Relying on inside sources, quite possibly Michelle Obama herself, Andersen describes how Dreams came to be published -- just as I had envisioned it in my articles on the authorship of Dreams.  With the deadline pressing, Michelle recommended that Barack seek advice from "his friend and Hyde Park neighbor Bill Ayers." To flesh out his family history, Obama had taped interviews with various family members. Andersen writes, "These...

Finally a Time Change for "24" by Ednamode 24 is changing its setting in more than one way for season 8. Not only will the show be set in New York City, the season will be starting at a vastly different time of day: 4:00PM. In recent years, the biggest complain amongst many of the die-hard fans, was that the show's Power's That Be had taken the time of day for granted, especially on a show where a ticking clock is a major character. Five of the past six seasons started between 6:00AM and 8:00AM, giving each season an almost...

It took a little more than 24 hours, and there was no ticking time bomb scenario, but Kiefer Sutherland finally made it. Jack Bauer's alter ego arrived this afternoon at a New York police station where he is due to be interrogated about allegedly head-butting a fashion designer at a party early Tuesday. According to an NYPD spokeswoman, the 42-year-old Sutherland showed up at about 4 p.m. ET at the 1st Precinct in lower Manhattan. He did not address reporters as he entered the building flanked by his lawyers. He will likely be booked on one count of misdemeanor assault...

McCollough claimed Sutherland, star of Fox television's "24," attacked him after an argument at the club, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Barack Obama: A 21st Century Jack CadeToday's Wall Street Journal reports that Barack Obama has proposed a $3.6 trillion budget, or more than $10,000 for every American. ...While the Jack Cade of Shakespeare's King Henry VI Part 2 was comic relief even for the poorly-educated groundlings who liked the performance's vulgar humor, the United States has actually elected his real-world equivalent. The following scene should look uncomfortably familiar: JACK CADE: Be brave, then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny: the three-hooped pot; shall have ten hoops...

Sri Lankan Suresh Joachim, from Toronto, has broken his own world record for watching non-stop TV, in Sweden. Joachim set the previous world record of 69 hours and 48 minutes in 2005 but has now exceeded that with 72 hours in front of a box in Stockholm, watching three series of Kiefer Sutherland’s 24. Quite why he had to go to Sweden is anyone’s guess but he was probably sponsored by a local TV station. In the process he consumed “between 25 and 30 cups of coffee”, caffeinated one presumes. So well done Suresh. But did he see any ads,...

24: Redemption is on FOX at 8PM. A reminder for all Freepers who are fans of Jack Bauer.

In a four-page written order (download here), the Florida Supreme Court today affirmed a referee's recommendation to permanently disbar controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson. The action, which takes effect in 30 days, means that Thompson will no longer be licensed to practice law and may not apply for reinstatement. Ever. In citing a litany of offenses, the Court noted Thompson's extensive pattern of misconduct and cited a "complete lack of remorse." The Court also quoted extensively from the June, 2008 report of Judge Dava Tunis, who served as referee at Thompson's November, 2007 trial on charges brought by the Florida...

According to CNN’s Jack Cafferty, the explanation for the close poll numbers between Senators McCain and Obama - the only reason – is race. It has to be, according to him. What else makes sense? Read the story here. The same way Democrats can never simply disagree with a Republican without labeling him or her as bad, or underhanded, or corrupt, or acting with an ulterior motive, so goes their interpretation of the poll numbers. Racism, for example, must be the reason the polls are as tight as they are. Add to that the fact that Republicans are masters in...

THE Jack the Ripper ‘industry’ got a boost on the 120th anniversary of his first acknowledged murder. The great-grandson of the police chief in charge of the 1888 Whitechapel Murders arrived at the Ripper exhibition at the Museum in Docklands in East London—just before the 120th anniversary of the murder Mary Ann Nichols, a prostitute known as ‘Polly,’ believed by many to be his first victim. He arrived with evidence from his Victorian ancestor revealing the Ripper’s true identity. Jack the Ripper was never caught and his identity has remained a mystery for 120 years, feeding a whole ‘industry’ that...

Four years ago Obama was in a tight race with a Republican opponent--Jack Ryan. Wikipedia records what happpened. ...Ryan married actress Jeri Ryan in 1991; together they have a son, Alex Ryan. They divorced in 1999 in California, and the records of the divorce were sealed at their mutual request. Five years later, when Ryan's Senate campaign began, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and WLS-TV, the local ABC affiliate, sought to have the records released. On March 3, 2004, several of Ryan's GOP primary opponents urged release of the records.Both Ryan and his wife agreed to make their divorce records public,...

We understand that Barack Obama wants Albert Gore to serve as his environmental advisor. All the carnival barkers, medicine show proprietors, and rainmakers seem to be getting together in the same circus tent, and the price of admission is more than the American people can afford. For reference, a rainmaker was a charlatan who would visit desperate communities during droughts. He would display an impressive array of regalia, which might have included artifacts that he had supposedly obtained from Native American medicine men, and offer to make it rain–for a price. The desperate farmers would give him their money, and...

Jack Bauer for President which party would jack run under?

BAGHDAD — With most Iraqi families living on only one hour of electricity per day, life’s been tough for Karkh District resident Rawaa and her family. But, with a new generator and better security in her neighborhood, the future looks a little brighter as a new 1.75-megawatt generator was recently turned on near their home in central Baghdad. Electricity is very important for their lives,” the mother of eight told Lt. Col. Kenneth Crawford, commander of the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd “Black Jack” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “We used to get one hour a day …...

JACK BAUER, America's favorite counter-terrorism agent with the violent code of honor and the weird sadomasochistic bent, is squaring off against a stealthy and unforgiving new enemy. His fans. ON THE CLOCK: Kiefer Sutherland, as Jack, awaits his next appointment.

SEATTLE (AP) - Former Rep. Jack Metcalf, who was a strong advocate for the environment and veterans in Congress until he stepped down to honor a defunct term limit law, died Thursday. He was 79. Metcalf died at an Alzheimer's care facility in Oak Harbor, said the Rev. Matt Chambers, his family pastor. He was surrounded by relatives in his final moments, said his former aide, state Rep. Chris Strow, R-Clinton. The longtime state lawmaker was elected to the U.S. House in 1994 as part of the first Republican majority in 40 years. But some of his stances were unusual...

How about telling us all your age, gender and location. Also, if you want, who you like in the upcoming presidential primary.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND only has himself to blame for the delay of his 24 action figure - he set fire to the prototype during a drunken night out. The action man's new figure has been developed by McFarlane Toys and will hit stores later this year (07), but the mini-JACK BAUER should have hit shelves much earlier. Sutherland explains, "They tried to come out with one a couple of years ago and they had sent me the doll for my approval... We took the doll out for a night to have some fun and we'd had some drinks. We sat it...

Jack the Ripper's face 'revealed'Experts used modern techniques to create the Ripper's face An e-fit showing what detectives believe serial killer Jack the Ripper looked like has been revealed. Using new profiling techniques, investigators have created a picture of what they believe the 19th Century murderer would have looked like. The man, who evaded police in the 1880s, is thought to have killed and mutilated five London prostitutes. The Scotland Yard team describe him as "frighteningly normal" but someone capable of "extraordinary cruelty". And investigators have admitted that police at the time were probably searching for the wrong kind of...

JACK Straw, the former foreign secretary, waded into a race and sexism row last night after admitting he asks female Muslim constituents who visit him to remove their veils. Mr Straw, who is now the Leader of the House of Commons, said it led to better community relations and added that no woman had ever refused. But Muslim groups accused him of insensitivity and "selective" discrimination. But Mr Straw said he stood by the remarks expressed in an article with his local paper, where he said concealing a face was a "visible statement of separation and difference". He had felt...

Michael Jackson's love for little people knows no bounds. The Gloved One is reportedly scouting around Ireland for an estate where he can open an amusement park with - no joke - a possible leprechaun theme. "Michael is deadly serious about this idea," an anonymous source told The Irish Daily Mirror. "He loves the whole idea of leprechauns and the magic and myths of Ireland." The source, who estimated the park would cost around $635 million, added that Jacko has "always wanted to open his own theme park and he thinks Ireland is the perfect place and it will be...

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- Jack Kemp will hit the campaign trail with a fellow former vice presidential candidate from another party: Sen. Joe Lieberman. Lieberman said Tuesday that Kemp, a Republican former congressman and U.S. housing secretary, telephoned to offer support to his independent campaign, which the three-term senator began after losing the Democratic primary to Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont. No date for the visit has been set. "We've worked together for years on some good projects that got done," Lieberman told reporters while campaigning in New London. Kemp was former Sen. Bob Dole's running mate in 1996. Lieberman, the...

Bin Laden's friend Jihad Jack freed by Australian judges By Nick Squires in Sydney (Filed: 19/08/2006) A British-born Muslim convert jailed in Australia on charges of receiving money and an airline ticket from al-Qa'eda terrorists, was freed last night after his conviction was overturned. Joseph Terrence Thomas, 33, nicknamed Jihad Jack after claiming that he had met al-Qa'eda's leader Osama bin Laden three times, was jailed for five years in March. But in a judgment seen as a blow to the Australian government, the appeal court in Melbourne ruled that some of the evidence used against him was not admissible....

Mr. Murtha has now taken it upon himself to surrender not only for the United States but for Israel as well. He seems not to concern himself either with the nature or the history (www.241.savethesoldiers.com) of our enemies. First, the idea that reasoned human beings would advocate that a party enter into any agreements with individuals who refuse to acknowledge their right to exist, and whose charter calls for their genocidal destruction defies logic and common sense. Second, any cursory review of the propaganda and rhetoric of Israel's enemies, thesame enemies that threaten the United States and the civilized world...

When former US President Jimmy Carter kicked off his son’s campaign for the Senate, junior was being sent to the rescue, he said because of the "illegal" spying campaign by the Bush Administration. Jack "Chip" Carter, running against Republican Senator John Ensign, for the State of Nevada is the last one who needs anyone spying on him.

Congressman Jack Murtha, D-Penn., said Wednesday night that the U.S. military was deliberately and indiscriminately killing innocent civilians in Iraq - much the same way, he added, that American pilots did during World War II. Asked about his crusade to expose the alleged massacre of an Iraqi family in Haditha last November, Murtha told Fox News Radio's Alan Colmes: "When this comes out, it's going to be much worse than" the initial reports. Could the Haditha episode be characterized as "the indiscriminate, deliberate killing of civilians?" Colmes asked. "From everything I've seen," said Murtha, "that's exactly what it was. ......

WASHINGTON - Not long after columnist Jack Anderson's funeral, FBI agents called his widow to say they wanted to search his papers. They were looking for confidential government information he might have acquired in a half-century of investigative reporting. The agents expressed interest in documents that would aid the government's case against two former lobbyists for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, who have been charged with disclosing classified information, said Kevin Anderson, the columnist's son. In addition, the agents told the family they planned to remove from the columnist's archive — which has yet to be catalogued...

David Horowitz - Ward Churchill Debate From George Washington University to Air on C-SPAN Saturday, 8 EDT. The topic was Politics in the Classroom.

LONDON: When it came time to grab a few hours' rest before landing on a secret mission in Baghdad last weekend, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted that British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw take the bed in her aircraft's private cabin. Mr Straw was horrified when he woke to find that Dr Rice, one of the world's most powerful women, had slept on the floor so her guest was more comfortable. What one British newspaper called Bedgate reflects a growing friendship between the two and their bid to work more closely on issues such as Iran, Iraq and the...

On April 6-7, 2006, Students for Academic Freedom will host its First National Academic Freedom Conference featuring a debate between Students for Academic Freedom Chairman David Horowitz and University of Colorado-Boulder Professor Ward Churchill. The topic for debate will be: “Can Politics Be Taken Out Of The Classroom, and Should It Be?” The debate will be held Thursday evening on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, DC. Young America’s Foundation and the Center for the Study of Popular Culture are the co-hosts of the debate. Seating for the debate is limited and will be determined by George Washington...

Fellow 24 fans...I have a question. A question about President Logan. Given his incompetence, it's a sure bet something will happen later on this season that will either make him tougher or get him out of office...I have another idea. What about Keeler, the REAL President? Does anyone remember last season? Logan was Vice-President, and he became President to serve in the stead of Keeler, who went into a coma after being shot down in Air Force One. We still don't know about Keeler's condition. Do you think he'll return? Just a thought.

So the Democrat Party is running a TV ad claiming Democrats "Didn't know Jack". OH Really? Let's see what a Non Partisan Campaign Watchdog group says. Here is the WHOLE Open Secrets list for those who "Want to be fair". http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff.asp List of Democrats who got Abramoff's money Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte $121,500 Democratic Congressional Campaign Cmte $354,700 Democratic National Cmte $65,720 Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) $42,500 Patty Murray (D-Wash) $40,980 Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) $36,000 Harry Reid (D-Nev) $30,500 (By way of comparison here is that "EVIL Republican" Tom Delay-Tom DeLay (R-Texas) $30,500 Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND) $28,000 Tom...

Jack Bauer has saved the world 4 times, but will he be able to save his hairline for Season 5?

LOS ANGELES - When 8-year-old Douglas Gresham met C.S. Lewis, the man who would become his stepfather, he was disappointed. The American boy had expected the British author of "The Chronicles of Narnia" fantasy books "to be wearing silver armor and carrying a sword with a jeweled pommel." Instead, Lewis "was a stooped, balding, professorial-looking gentleman in shabby clothes, with long, nicotine-stained fingers," said Gresham, now 59, speaking on the phone from his home in Ireland. More than 40 years after Lewis' death, people still have their own ideas about him. Depending on whom you ask, Lewis was a scholar,...

Before the hurrican even hit, Jack Duggan was already complaining of racism because people were searched before entering the superdome. It was pretty much a sign of the rhetoric to follow. He writes: "... forced searches that were patently unconstitutional, unjust and unreasonable ..." "... the government acted with a greater destructive force than a hurricane. " Now, with all that's happened, Jack's pretty much needs to eat every word he wrote. BTW: (1)Note that he himself must be racist since he keeps refering to 'them' by the awful word: 'refugees' (2)Why does he post his columns to a Russian...

I would like to put together a blogroll of avid '24' fans to post items about show and possibly host weekly of the show. If you have any suggestions or ideas, let me know. Either post a comment or email me and let me know if you are in for the Blogs for Bauer. No moles.

Listen While You Freep! All programs are replayed for 23 hours and again on weekends so tune in when it’s convenient for YOU! Call In Number - 866-884-TALK (8255) Heating the EDGE of a New Media! 1pm EST - "There have been ten generations of Americans since this nation was founded... Each left this nation in a little better condition than they had inherited it from their parents. This is the first generation at risk of doing the opposite. Why? I have come to believe that it is because we failed to acknowledge and discipline ourselves with the spiritual truths...

On June 3, New York City's venerable oldies station WCBS-FM hit “shuffle” and kicked off a firestorm. At 5 p.m. that day, station owner Infinity Broadcasting suddenly fired its on-air staff -- which included former Monkee Mickey Dolenz and radio legend Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow -- and adopted a programming concept that's infiltrating radio markets across the nation. “Jack.” Or Ben. Or Dave. Or Bob. It can get confusing. A Burlington, Vt., station known for years as “Alice,” has since adopted the Jack format. It's radio's answer to the iPod, a shift away from tightly formatted playlists boasting Hot Adult...

Reid won't be returning lobbyist contributions Spokeswoman says senator sees no reason to return funds By TONY BATT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid will not return campaign contributions he received during the past five years from lobbyists and clients associated with Jack Abramoff, a Reid spokeswoman said Friday. Federal officials are investigating whether Abramoff, a lobbyist, bilked millions of dollars from Indian gaming tribes. Reid, D-Nev., and other Democrats have been sharply critical of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has close ties to Abramoff. About two-thirds of Abramoff-related campaign funds were given to...

A fixture on the city's radio dial has quietly changed its format without warning. WCBS-FM dropped the oldies format which had been its staple since 1972 at 5 p.m. Friday. The station has adopted a format known as "Jack FM," playing songs from the 50s right up through today. Neither the station nor owner infinity broadcasting gave listeners any warning the change was coming. Published reports say station personalities such as former Monkee Mickey Dolenz, Cousin Brucie Morrow and Harry Harrison have all been fired. Fans can still listen to the station's old format on its web site at www.wcbsfm.com...

Rock shock: Nation's No. 1 oldies station changes formats NEW YORK It's the day the music died. W-C-B-S F-M in New York, the top oldies station in the nation for more than three decades, stunned its legion of listeners by abruptly switching formats this weekend. Goodbye, Buddy Holly and the Beach Boys. Hello, Duran Duran and Jet. The station had switched to an oldies format in 1972, initially as a bastion for the doo-wop sounds of the '50s. Although the playlist changed over the years, W-C-B-S F-M always remained the outpost for classic Top 40 radio in the nation's largest...

It was hit the road, Jack, for oldies fans who listen to WCBS-FM radio after the station yesterday ended 33 years of playing rock classics and abruptly axed legendary DJs Cousin Brucie, Harry Harrison and Bill Brown. WCBS, 101.1-FM on the dial, changed its name to "Jack" and stunned listeners by ditching its tried and true playlist to embrace a new format that features random songs of various styles. "We're going from 400 to 500 songs to well over 1,200 songs, with less repetition," said CBS-FM vice president Chad Brown, who flipped the switch to the new format at 5...

Tin SoldierAn American Vigilante In Afghanistan, Using the Press for Profit and Glory By Mariah Blake In April 2004, a former U.S. Special Forces soldier named Jonathan Keith Idema started shopping a sizzling story to the media. He claimed terrorists in Afghanistan planned to use bomb-laden taxicabs to kill key U.S. and Afghan officials, and that he himself intended to thwart the attack. Shortly thereafter, he headed to Afghanistan, where he spent the next two months conducting a series of raids with his team, which he called Task Force Saber 7. By late June, he claimed to have captured the...

Look who makes '24' tick Chloe O'Brian, everyone's favorite cybercurmudgeon, has added acerbic comic relief to the adrenaline-fueled TV thriller By HEATHER SVOKOS STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER We will sit, by the millions, white-knuckling our remotes and wondering how Jack Bauer will save us from World War III. On the brink of tomorrow night's season finale, we can say it with confidence: Fans have finally been given a season of 24 that has lived up to the potential of its premise. Seasons one and two of the hit Fox series started strong but devolved into a sometimes boring morass of seen-it-coming...

An operations manager for Jack in the Box was late for a meeting and called his boss to let him know he was running late. As the manager was leaving the voicemail message, he witnessed an accident and went on to provide a "play by play" account of the incident. This is the actual voicemail message. It was forwarded so many times within Jack in the Box that it crashed their voicemail server. Click Here For Audio

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday pledged to work to unify all Christians, reach out to other religions and continue implementing reforms from the Second Vatican Council as he outlined his goals and made clear his pontificate would closely follow the trajectory of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, listed top priorities of his papacy in a message read in Latin to cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel for the first Mass celebrated by the 265th leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He said his "primary task" would be to work to...

Jack's Back

Los Angeles radio listeners don't know Jack unless they've recently tuned in to the now-defunct Arrow 93.1, KCBS-FM. Infinity Broadcasting flipped the Los Angeles classic rocker to "Jack-FM" late last week, now offering a slightly modified version of its 11-year-old predecessor. Along with acquiring a new name, the station said goodbye to its disc jockeys and put the needle to a broad swath of music that encompasses The Police and No Doubt. The format was created by -- and named for -- "Cadillac Jack" Garrett, a veteran radio personality on the East Coast. Defined as "a mile wide and an...