Free Republic

The sudden war in the Caucasus brought Georgia to heel, reasserted Russia's claim as the dominant force in the region, and dealt a blow to U.S. prestige. But in this part of the world, diplomacy and war are about oil and gas as much as they are about hegemony and the tragic loss of human life. Victory in Georgia now gives Russia the edge in the struggle over access to the Caspian's 35 billion barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of gas. The probable losers: the U.S. and those Western oil companies that have bet heavily on the...

Here's how rising fuel prices affect an organization with a fleet of 1,273 school buses: The Montgomery County school board today will consider giving Superintendent Jerry D. Weast emergency powers to make students walk farther to school, if need be, in the coming academic year. (snip) Should prices continue to rise, the school system could save money by raising maximum walking distances for students, because more walkers means fewer buses. Currently, elementary school students walk up to a mile, middle school students 1.5 miles and high school students two miles.

Montgomery County results explain Clinton's win TRIBUNE-REVIEW By: Salena Zito By all accounts, Pennsylvania's Montgomery County should have been Sen. Barack Obama's low-hanging fruit. From Norristown with its abundant black vote to the Main Line with its affluent well-off latte liberals, "Montco" was tailor-made for the Illinois senator. "I was shocked," said Karen Matthews, wife of GOP Montgomery County chairman Jim Matthews. Karen, who made her own news by switching to Democrat so she could vote for Obama, fully expected a big Obama win. "My only explanation is that people say one thing, and then do another," she said. Karen...

Alliance in Montco reflects party shift Republicans will share power. By Emilie Lounsberry Inquirer Staff Writer The surprise move by Republican Jim Matthews and Democrat Joe Hoeffel to share power as Montgomery County commissioners reflects a stunning reversal of fortune for the GOP. For decades, the county Republican Party enjoyed a reputation as an efficient and powerful political machine, demonstrated by its control of the courthouse for more than a century. But yesterday's bipartisan news conference showed that was no more - especially after Democrats won five of nine county row offices in November. Matthews will be chairman and Hoeffel...

It's a True Crime post and we've got a dentist desperately trying to justify his breast rubs as necessary to help nightime teeth grinding. Also, a child in trouble for committing graffitti for drawing on sidewalk with chalk. Twenty years later the cold case unit discovers who beat little Patricia Lopez to death. It was her own brother and his family defends him! He died during a sexual bondage episode. Is this really a crime? Finally, what's the latest on OJ?

Lots of True Crime including a few local crimes. We've got updates on the Delaware Univ. shooting and the strange case of the Delmarva lady with a yard full of dead babies. The Spector mistrial, a family living in squalor, illegal aliens killing Americans and, of course, the saga of the smuggled iguanas. Her trial's coming up...lots of links and info on the lady who stole an unborn baby from her mother's body-Lisa Montgomery.

An update on the Montgomery trial. She killed the mother and stole her baby. Finally there's a trial. What crazed defense do her attorneys plan to present as they pee upon our feet and tell us it's raining? More on the lovely Mike Vick, a narrative on lawsuit abuse and links to previous big cases.

From WPXI-TV NBC Pittsburgh... A Greyhound Bus accident kills at least one outside MOntgomery Alabama < breaking > At least one person is dead and 45 injured in a Greyhound bus accident outside Montgomery Alabama this morning. So far no word on what caused the accident.

Alabama's auto industry gathered additional momentum Monday with the news that Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, which opened its $1.1 billion production facility in Montgomery less than two years ago, would build a second engine plant on the site. The South Korean carmaker will invest $270 million in the new project, which will create 522 new jobs. The company will build a 350,000-square-foot facility to manufacture 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Theta engines for use on site by Hyundai and at the new Kia Motors Corp. plant under construction in nearby Georgia. Kia is a sister company to Hyundai. The new project also...

A liberal government watchdog group has asked the Secret Service to release its records of prominent conservative Christian leaders' visits to the White House, but one of those leaders called the request "an act of Christianophobia." Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on Wednesday. The group said in the request that the records are "likely to contribute to the public's understanding of the influence that conservative Christian leaders have, or attempt to have, on the president in the exercise of his authority." The Secret Service has 20 business days to...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Department of Public Health is moving to revoke the license of an abortion clinic — its second such action in three months — after an investigation found several violations, including not having a backup physician, inadequate record keeping and shoddy follow-up care for patients. The department issued an emergency license suspension for Reproductive Health Services on Monday and a complete Statement of Deficiencies was delivered to the Montgomery clinic on Friday afternoon, said Rick Harris, director of the department's Bureau of Health Provider Standards.

MONTGOMERY - The number of Alabama families receiving food stamps has risen by one-third in five years, but state officials say that's not enough. Officials at the Alabama Department of Human Resources worry that too many people who could get help don't sign up. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated in 2003 that 56 percent of Alabamians who were eligible received food stamps. The national rate that year also was 56 percent. "Our goal is to get to 80 percent by 2010," DHR Commissioner Page Walley said. Walley believes the percentage is starting to rise, since total numbers are growing....

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- A Silver Spring woman reported to police Tuesday evening that she was raped early Monday morning. According to police, the 35-year-old woman said she was walking home from work between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Piney Branch Road near Long Branch Park when a man armed with a machete approached her. "He forced her into a wooded area of Long Branch Park and there raped her," said Montgomery County Police spokeswoman Lucille Baur.

CHEVY CHASE Panel Says House Is Over the Line Unhappy Neighbors Want Walls Moved By Miranda S. Spivack Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, June 8, 2006; Page B02 Marianne and Marc Duffy say their dream home renovation in Chevy Chase has turned into a suburban nightmare. Their neighbors say the Duffys intentionally flouted building rules when they expanded their $725,000 house on Thornapple Street and have no one to blame but themselves. Yesterday, a Montgomery County appeals board reaffirmed an earlier ruling that the Duffys had rebuilt their house too close to the street and to neighbors. The Duffys say...

Andrew Dinniman held a lead last night in his bid to become the first Democratic state senator from Chester County in memory. Dinniman and Republican Carol Aichele, both county commissioners, were seeking to finish the term of Robert J. Thompson, who died in January. Dinniman led by a 5-4 ratio in late returns. But Aichele was not conceding. "I feel good about this race," she said last night. "It was a great day at the polls." Dinniman, who toured the polling places yesterday with his dog, Henry, said last night that he was confident that enough Democrats and independents had...

Killings up in state, nation FBI reports increase for first 6 months of '05 Tuesday, December 20, 2005 CAROL ROBINSON News staff writer The number of killings in three of Alabama's four largest cities climbed in the first six months this year, mirroring the nation, according to preliminary FBI statistics released Monday. Huntsville saw the biggest jump, with the number of murders doubling. But that was only six killings in the first half of 2005 compared with three during the same 2004 period. Birmingham by far had the highest count with 38 homicides from January through June, up from 24...

(COLUMBUS, October 5, 2005) Complete results of the October 3 Wall Street Journal Online Zogby Interactive Poll show Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is the only GOP candidate winning head-to-head match-ups against the two leading Democrat challengers. While Blackwell beat Rep. Ted Strickland and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, Republican challengers Auditor Betty Montgomery and Attorney General Jim Petro lost similar head to head match-ups by wide margins. Blackwell beat both Coleman (44.4% to 43%) and Strickland (44.5% to 43.4%). Petro lost to Coleman 41% to 36.6% (loss of 4.4%) and Strickland 41.7% to 35.3% (loss of 6.4%). Montgomery lost...

"What we need to do... Is there any media? Chief, can I say this?," asked Mayor Bobby Bright at Tuesday's Kiwanis Club of Montgomery meeting. "I've said it one time. Get a gun and teach our folks how to use them and shoot 'em." Several members of the audience, approximately 100 members of the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery, broke out into nervous laughter and applause after Mayor Bright said this as the guest speaker. To put this in context, Mayor Bright spoke directly to the issues of having an understaffed police force, clogged courts, and a vast majority of crime...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

After Talks with Legislators and GOP Chair Bennett; “Issue Deserves Greatest Possible Debate,” says Blackwell (Columbus, August 8, 2005) Citizens for Tax Reform today announced it will file its petitions to place a constitutional amendment to limit government spending on the November 2006 General Election ballot. The committee now intends to file its Tax Expenditure Limitation (TEL) Amendment petitions August 11, 2005, by-passing the August 10 deadline for this November’s ballot. "After consultation with legislative leadership, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett and TEL supporters, the committee decided this issue deserves the widest possible exposure and debate," said Citizens for...

6,350 Contributors, $195 Average Gift, $1.1 Million Cash On Hand (Columbus, July 27, 2005) More than six thousand people responded to Secretary of State Ken Blackwell’s campaign for governor in the last six months, boosting his campaign fund-raising report to an impressive $1.24 million dollars. Blackwell attracted a record 6,350 individual contributors with an average gift of $195, and will show cash on hand of more than $1.1 million. The report locked down Blackwell’s position as the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination for Governor and showed Ohioans’ strong support of his message of lower taxes, strong values and more...

Former Congressman John R. Kasich is being urged by some influential Republicans to run as a reform candidate for governor next year because he is untainted by Statehouse scandals. Kasich, who ruffled feathers in Washington as chairman of the House Budget Committee, has told supporters he would run only if the field is partially cleared for him, enough campaign money is available and the party commits to ending pay-to-play politics. A source close to Kasich said the former Westerville congressman told him that if he were elected governor, "Heads would spin and cronyism would be ended. It would be a...

Workers' comp bureau concealed $215M loss; Taft, Petro knew about fund's woes many months ago By MIKE WILKINSON and JAMES DREW BLADE STAFF WRITERS COLUMBUS — Democrats were screaming “cover-up” yesterday after state officials admitted that a high-risk hedge fund that the embattled Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation had invested in had lost $215 million in just a few months last year. The bureau acknowledged that the fund, managed by a Pittsburgh-based investment firm, lost the money between February and September, 2004. MDL Capital Management relinquished control of the fund in November. Although the bureau has known about the losses...

Two sources high up in Ohio Democratic politics told ONN Thursday that Congressman Ted Strickland will run for governor. The Democrat previously announced he wouldn't run, but sources close to the campaign say the five-term Democrat plans an official announcement Monday. Last week, a source close to the campaign said Congressman Strickland was reconsidering a run after only one Democrat, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman officially announced a campaign for governor. Congressman Strickland says, "I have made a final decision regarding what I hope to do in the future. I am not yet prepared to make a public statement about that....

U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, viewed as one of Ohio’s most popular Democrats, is expected to announce today that he will not run for governor in 2006. Brown, 52, of Lorain, likely will announce plans to run for re-election to a seventh term in Congress in a conference call with reporters this morning, according to several sources. Brown’s spokeswoman declined to comment. High-ranking Democrats in Ohio and Washington have urged Brown to run for governor or against Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Dennis L. White said last night that he had lunch with Brown several weeks ago. "He...

More than a year before the 2006 primary election, the three candidates for the Republican nomination for governor stumped for votes in Toledo last night at the Lucas County Republican Party's Lincoln Day dinner. Kenneth Blackwell, secretary of state, said he was pleased with the direction his campaign has moved since last November's election. "It's going fine. Polls have me up 18 points,'' he said during the event at Erie Street Market downtown.

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

Clinton Judge Emasculates Law Enforcement Agencies as Communist and Anarchist groups Plan Disruptions of Inaugural; Colombian Terrorists Target Bush for Death By Special Reports | January 18, 2005 Rulings by a Clinton-appointed federal judge, Gladys Kessler, have given unprecedented access to protesters to the inaugural parade route so that their "civil rights" may be protected. While the Washington Post and other Bush-bashing media are focusing on the cost of the January 20 Inauguration, a much more serious issue has emerged. Communist and anarchist groups may be planning to disrupt the inaugural and possibly commit violence. One organization sympathetic to a...

America yesterday got this first look at the miracle baby who survived being ripped from her mother's womb, as the tragic mom was laid to rest. The rites took place amid new reports that Bobbie Jo Stinnett's suspected killer not only faked her pregnancy, but was unable to have any more children. [snip] Montgomery had told friends and family, including her husband that she was expecting to give birth this month. But her ex-husband, Carl Boman, told a television station that Montgomery had undergone a tubal litigation after their last child together more than a decade ago. "It's all...

This is an undated photo showing Lisa M. Montgomery, a resident of Melvern, Kan. Montgomery was arrested late Friday, Dec. 17, 2004, and charged with kidnapping resulting in death in a case of a woman being murdered and her 8-month-old fetus cut out of her womb. The baby of Bobbie Jo Stinnett was recovered and was reported in good condition on Saturday. (AP Photo/Maryville Daily Forum)

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

D-DayThe liberation of Europe has lessons for today's war leaders.BY PAUL JOHNSONThursday, June 3, 2004 12:01 a.m. EDT LONDON--To launch a large-scale opposed landing across many miles of water is the most hazardous of all military operations. Nothing before or since has ever been mounted on the scale of Operation Overlord, though the U.S. invasion of Iraq after the 9/11 outrage employed more firepower. The D-Day landing that began June 6, 1944, involved three services, airborne and glider troops, submarine landing, undercover agents and saboteurs, and an astonishing array of technological gimmicks. It was the most carefully planned operation in...

<p>Authorities stopped state Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, for suspected drunken driving Wednesday night, but instead of arresting him, a Montgomery County sheriff's supervisor drove him home.</p> <p>The Sheriff's Department followed state law that prevents law enforcement officers from arresting or citing legislators for a crime -- except for felonies, treason or breach of peace -- during attendances of a legislative session or going to or from a session.</p>

<p>Two Kentucky fiscal courts recently lost another round with the latest federal court ruling regarding Ten Commandment displays in government buildings.</p> <p>In a Dec. 18 decision, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an earlier court decision demanding Decalogue displays in McCreary and Pulaski courthouses and a Harlan County school be removed.</p>

<p>MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) --The home where Martin Luther King changed from Montgomery pastor to national civil rights leader has been restored to its 1950s appearance, providing another tourist site in a city that describes itself as the "Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement."</p>

Ohio voters unhappy with GOP 11/13/03 Sandy Theis Plain Dealer Bureau Chief Columbus - Auditor Betty Montgomery leads all other Republicans seeking the nomination for governor, and holds double-digit leads over Democrats who have expressed an interest in the 2006 contest, according to a poll paid for by the Montgomery campaign. Of Republicans surveyed, 32 percent said they would vote to nominate Montgomery for governor. Secretary of State Ken Blackwell finished a surprising second with 23 percent, followed by Attorney General Jim Petro with 17 percent. The Montgomery campaign made no secret of its motives for releasing the data: They...

On Sunday, October 5, 2003, I walked a block from my hotel in Washington, D.C. to St. Matthew’s Cathedral on Rhode Island Avenue. A 10 a.m. service was scheduled at the church, where the Red Mass would be celebrated—a service held prior to the beginning of a new session of the U.S. Supreme Court and which the Supreme Court justices normally attend. I was walking with two ladies with whom I had been travelling on the Spirit of Montgomery Save the Commandments caravan from Montgomery, Alabama to Washington, D.C. When we approached the block where St. Matthew’s is located, we...

<p>WETUMPKA -- District Attorney Randall Houston can't bank on one of his largest funding sources to help make up for an expected 10 percent cut in state funding for the upcoming budget year.</p> <p>Budget cuts and the growing trend of more people using debit and checking account cards are threatening to cut deeply into the money Houston's Worthless Check Unit brings into the 19th Judicial Circuit district attorney's office. Last year, the unit accounted for more than a third of the office's budget.</p>

HERE’S HOW IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED There is a simple way we can still use our numbers to move THE TEN COMMANDMENTS back to the lobby of the Courthouse in Montgomery. Volunteers should be organized to appear in pairs in the lobby of the Court House in Montgomery day in and day out on a never ending basis. Volunteers will be armed with nothing more than a set of type written notes containing the words of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. It will be the job of volunteers to stand and recite the words ‘aloud’ from memory in shifts from the time...

This will be posted on the Bush Country.org website tomorrow. Please forward to Conservative/Christian supporters in Montgomery Alabama. How To Keep The 10 Commandments In Judge Moore's Montgomery Courtroom HERE’S HOW IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED In the event the ‘ROCK’ is removed and it looks like it can not stay long, there is a simple way we can still use our numbers to keep THE TEN COMMANDMENTS from ever leaving the lobby of the Courthouse in Montgomery without raising a single hand to stop the physical removal of “Roy’s Rock”. Volunteers should be organized to appear in pairs in the...

Even the liberal media is now reporing that 100's of resistance believers are now camped out for the week with the numbers growing by the hour.

A call to freepers...anyone organizing at Montgomery? I am in SF, and am thinking about flying out there to help defend the commandments. I wanted to start this thread to talk about that, if anyone is doing the same around the country, or locals in Alabama. At this point I'm not even sure if it will help, but please post here with ideas if this has angered you as much as it has me.

I am thinking about flying out to Alabama to defend the Ten Commandments structure. But is anyone else doing this? Are there any plans to fight? Any freepers especially in the Alabama area? Can we start a thread to organize something?

Showdown in Montgomery By Chuck Baldwin Food For Thought From The Chuck Wagon August 22, 2003 I was privileged to be in attendance at a rally in front of the Alabama Supreme Court building Wednesday evening where hundreds of concerned citizens had gathered to express their support for Judge Roy Moore's decision to ignore a federal judge's order to remove a display of the Ten Commandments from the building. Speakers included Alan Keyes, Rick Scarborough, and Patrick Mahoney. This case is just now beginning to draw media attention and, unfortunately, has yet to draw the attention and, yes, outrage, of...

The Blackout of 2003 Is In Montgomery, Not In New York And Cleveland By Chuck Baldwin Food For Thought From The Chuck Wagon August 19, 2003 All weekend, the major media saturated America's news outlets with the story of the massive power outage in parts of New England and the Midwest. While this is a major story, it pales into insignificance when compared to those events currently unfolding in Montgomery, Alabama. What is happening at the Alabama capitol will literally determine the future of this country for the foreseeable future. Yet, the establishment press has virtually blacked out the story....

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission:The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

A federal appeals panel in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday sharply tested the right of Alabama's Supreme Court chief justice to keep a two-ton Ten Commandments monument in the state judicial building. One judge on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said if the panel accepted an argument made by Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore, courthouses around the state could be decorated with murals depicting the life and death of Jesus Christ and the words "What Would Jesus Do?" inscribed above the benches. "Its implications are staggering," Judge Edward E. Carnes said of Moore's argument. Moore's lawyer, Herbert W....

A handgun possibly used in Alabama by sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo was reported stolen from an El Paso gun show in July, authorities said Friday. The weapon, a silver .22-caliber Magnum with a brown grip, was found by a civilian Wednesday in the path taken by the person who killed Claudine Parker outside a Montgomery, Ala., liquor store Sept. 21, Montgomery Police Chief John Wilson said Friday. Muhammad is a suspect in the Parker shooting, authorities said. Officials traced the North American Arms-brand gun to an Oklahoma home. The gun had been shipped there by...

Listening to WBAL Baltimore yesterday-Ron Smith Show 1090 AM As his guest he has Frank DeFilippo, the liberal political analyst for WBAL who represents the left in the Left/right crossfire style debates Ron has with him. Frank DeFilippo, press secretary to former (D) Gov. Marvin Mandel, stated that "Its was pure politics-a democrat media show" refering to the sniper press conference that featured MD and VA Democrat leaders. "And poor Connie who represents the area didn't even get invited".Anyone in Maryland who knows DeFilippo, knows this would be like carville admitting clinton lied. Except for a mention on Rush, I...