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A number of inopportune photos have been circulating the Internet as presidential inauguration ceremonies wind to a close. Whether it’s Michelle Obama’s eyeroll at John Boehner or New York Senator Chuck Schumer’s startling grin at Beyonce’s back, no one escaped embarrassing candid photographs on one of the most highly-photographed days of the year. We’ve compiled a list of the best. Enjoy...

The Baltimore Ravens outlasted the Denver Broncos 38-35 on Saturday in one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history, shocking the No. 1 seed to reach the AFC Championship Game. Ray Lewis, in his 17th season, made 17 tackles in the game. His career isn't over quite yet.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) campaign is calling for supporters to back his opposition to expanded gun controls, warning in a new email that "they're coming for your guns." "You and I are literally surrounded. The gun-grabbers in the Senate are about to launch an all-out-assault on the Second Amendment. On your rights. On your freedom," the email opens. It goes on to warn that "our freedom is under direct assault ... from those who want to shred our Constitution."

We've given up on changing the world. The pragmatic (and brutal) approach to beating terrorism is the only way Is being an international terrorist like being a Page 3 model? By which I mean, when Mokhtar Belmohktar, 40, from Algeria, is pictured in our newspapers, his one eye staring flintily into the camera, clutching his gun like these people always do, is this really what it is all about? Maybe he'll buy lots of copies, clip them out, post them to friends and keep one stuck to the fridge for ever. Or maybe not. Maybe it's all about Allah;...

First Lady Michelle Obama rolls her eyes (0:09 in clip) after House Speaker cracks a joke to President Obama at the luncheon that took place after the inauguration.

(CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama opened his second inaugural address by quoting the statement from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence that all men “are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." He then went on to say that if men were in fact created equal, then homosexual “love” must be equal as well. “What makes us exceptional, what makes us American," said Obama, “is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The rally is called Guns Across America and the idea is to show gun owners are neighbors and law-abiding citizens. Rally supporters are being asked to dress appropriately, not in camo or hunting gear. Many of those same supporters showed up carrying firearms, open-carry pistols, semi-automatic rifles and shotguns along with concealed carry permit holders, all legal in Ohio. Those carrying firearms are not allowed on statehouse grounds and the rally supporters said they do not have a rally permit. "I'm here because I believe in the second amendment and I believe I should be able to...

The Washington Post reports today that al Qaeda’s successful attack on the Algerian natural gas plant has greatly boosted al Qaeda’s prestige in Africa. Along the way, the Post notes rather casually: The assailants were well-trained and armed with what appear to have been weapons from the late Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi’s arsenal. The overthrow of Moammar Gaddafi has turned out to be a terrible blunder. It has empowered radical Muslims, led directly to the Benghazi debacle, and scattered Gaddafi’s armory among terrorist elements, including al Qaeda. There has been, of course, no accountability for the Libya decision, either with...

President Obama defended the idea of entitlements like Medicare and Social Security in his second inaugural address Monday, arguing that these programs strengthen the nation and free Americans to "take the risks that make this country great." "We reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future," Obama said. "For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn." He continued: "We do not believe that...

Covington VA --(Ammoland.com)- The Senate Courts of Justice committee this week killed or neutralized all but one anti-gun bill. The one bad bill that passed out of committee initially, did so because Senator Edwards was away from the General Assembly due to weather and normally pro-gun Senator Stanley voted to support the bill. :-( Senator Marsh’s “gun show loophole” bill was heavily modified and ended up requiring that only gun dealers could sell guns at a gun show. After the meeting Senator Stanley indicated that he had misunderstood the full ramifications of the modified bill. The committee reconvened on the...

CNN correspondent Jim Acosta was positively giddy while covering President Obama's inauguration parade on Monday afternoon, and didn't hold back his feelings on-air. "You know, I feel like I should pinch myself right now, Wolf. I can't believe I have this vantage point of history in the making," Acosta gushed. Video below the break. Acosta later added that "It's good to be the President. It's almost like being a rock star on every street corner of Washington on this day." Unfortunately, Acosta has not been alone at CNN in exhibiting extreme enthusiasm for President Obama. During the inauguration parade, Wolf...

What is former Pres Bill Clinton thinking right here?

Excellent advice but surely a total buzzkill for leftists, for whom the big gun-control push is at least as much a cultural struggle as it is a serious attempt to reduce mass shootings. Tightening the laws on background checks and banning high-capacity magazines might not stop future Sandy Hooks or Columbines but it will potentially force the yokels to behave in a bit more civilized fashion. Like they do in, say, Chicago.Next he’ll be telling them not to use kids as props for their big gun-grab rituals. I thought this guy was supposed to be fun. “Do not patronize the...

A lawmaker from the blatantly anti-Semitic Hungarian Jobbik Party, who recently called for a list to be compiled of Jews who he alleges pose a “security risk”, is planning to embark on a lecture tour regarding the “Zionist threat.” Hungarian lawmaker Marton Gyongyosi will tour nationwide to give lectures “about attacks on Jobbik and himself and the party’s foreign policy, with focus on its strong and true criticism of Israel,” the Jobbik party said in a statement released Friday. “Jobbik has been exposed to unprecedented attacks in Hungary and abroad … Relying on its huge lobbying and blackmailing potential, Zionism...

Making it up as they go.

Because accepting donations from those distasteful, money-grubbing corporations is just not acceptable --- except, you know, when you really need the money.In 2008/2009, President Obama’s inaugural committee (amidst much self-promoted fanfare, I might add) decided to buck precedent and announced that they would not be accepting corporate donations or individual donations in excess of $50k in a grandiose display of thwarting special interests.Now, of course, the situation is quite different --- worn-out donors and a still-"recovering" economy mean that the inaugural committee is totally okay with corporations and the wealthy possibly ingratiating themselves with Team Obama. It is what it...

Do as we say, not as we do. Unlike some others, I have no problem with the First Lady’s efforts to push for awareness of the health choices of our food — as long as the “awareness” doesn’t turn into mandates and legislation, or in edicts like the Big Apple’s Big Gulp ban. But if one wants to impress upon others the need to watch caloric and fat intake, shouldn’t that mean a personal demonstration of restraint? Apparently not: "Monday’s inauguration of President Barack Obama will be filled with pomp, circumstance, and a jam-packed schedule of invite-only events where the...

An inaugural official told reporters that "at least" 1 million people were on the National Mall for President Obama's swearing-in ceremony. If the figure is accurate, a crowd of around 1 million would put attendance at about 55 percent of the 2009 crowd. The city of Washington, D.C., estimated that 1.8 million people packed the Mall last time to watch Obama get sworn in for his first term.

At the inaugural celebration, Obama actually seems somewhat cordial to John Boehner, House Speaker. But Michelle is much too busy shoveling food into her mouth, and when Boehner tries to get her attention, she manages an eyeroll at him...

Biden says something "profound" happened with the enormous Latino support for Obama, and he says the Latino community underestimates its power. He told the audience that they "spoke in a way that the world ... could not fail to hear." Biden said "America owes" Latinos and declared, "This is your moment"

Wixom, MI --(Ammoland.com)- Trijicon, Inc., global provider of high quality, innovative aiming solutions to military, law enforcement and individual customers, has decided to withdraw its participation and support of the 2013 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “We, at Trijicon, are very disappointed in the decision of Reed Exhibitions to ban the display of Modern Sporting Rifles from the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show.”, said Tom Munson, V.P. of Sales & Marketing for Trijicon. “Many of Trijicon’s loyal customers are responsible and law-abiding owners of these types of legal firearms and we will not support any organization that...

Prince Harry on his controversial Las Vegas trip There is only one rule as far as the soldier prince is concerned: Work hard, play hard. In one of the most candid admissions of his interview, Harry remarks that concerned Prince Charles frequently attempts to remind him of what is required of the third in line to the throne. Harry confesses he ‘let himself and his family down’ after being photographed cavorting naked in Las Vegas last year, but, unsurprisingly given his comments, is largely unrepentant. The 28-year-old royal concedes he should have acted in a more ‘princely’ manner but says...

Japan Threatens To Fire On Chinese Fighters — China Says 'There Will Be No Second Shot' Robert JohnsonJanuary 21, 2013, 2:35 PMWhen Chinese and Japanese fighters met for the first time over disputed islands in the East China Sea earlier this month, Japan promptly declared its right to fire tracers at China's jets. Though met with outrage by China at the time, Japan continues promoting the live firing which Chinese military academics are calling the "first shot." “Every country has procedures for how to deal with a violation of its territory that continues after multiple cautionary measures,” Japanese Defense Minister...

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

In comments made Friday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the National Rifle Association (NRA) is a "fringe group" that is "very extreme." Moreover, according to Schumer, the NRA doesn't "represent average gun [owners]." Schumer says that during the 1990s the NRA used their lobbying power to fill background checks with loopholes, thus leading to a situation where "40 percent of all guns sold in American have no [background] check." You'll recall that Obama also used this "40 percent" claim when pushing for more gun control earlier in the week. This claim goes back to a 2011 study by Mayor Michael...

Colorado Springs, January 21 (World Watch Monitor) — Iran on Monday accused an Idaho man of trying to entice young people to Christianity and away from the country’s official religion, Islam, the man’s American-based legal team says. The trial of Saeed Abedini, 32, of Boise, began Monday in the Tehran courtoom of Abbas Pir-Abbassi, a Revolutionary Court judge notorious for harsh sentences.

Squabbling in Washington over the debt ceiling is again raising the specter that the United States may be forced to delay payments on its debt. While the stigma of a default would be damaging enough to investor sentiment, the chaos from a breakdown in financial markets' systems that might result would be even scarier. A failure to make payments on U.S. Treasurys, however brief, would create widespread damage in short-term funding markets, which are crucial to daily operations of financial institutions, investment firms and many corporations, said analysts and investors. Editor's Note: How You Lost $85,000 During the Last Decade....

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says the Republican Party should abandon its efforts to curb voter participation through voter ID laws and restrictions on hours for early voting. “Should we really have gone after reducing the turnout of voters in those places where we thought it would make a difference?” he told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, referring to November’s election, Politico reports. “The Republican Party should be a party that says, ‘We want everybody to vote,’ and make it easier to vote and give them a reason to vote for the party, not to find ways to keep them...

Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee in the last election, was booed at President Barack Obama's Second Inauguration today in Washington, D.C. "If things had gone differently in November, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) might have departed the Capitol on Monday as the vice president of the United States. Instead, he faced a chorus of boos as he left the building to attend President Barack Obama's second inauguration ceremony," reports the Huffington Post. The left-leaning website reports that Ryan attended the Inauguration out of duty. "Ryan announced last week that he would be present for Obama's public swearing in at...

KALAMAZOO, MI -- What a difference four years make. In 2009, a reported 2,500 people crowded into Miller Auditorium to watch history being made as Barack Obama was sworn in as the first African-American president of the United States. On Monday, the auditorium looked very different. Just 30 people braved the blowing snow and unplowed roads to watch the inauguration ceremonies on a giant screen.

During President Obama’s first term, the number of persons taking federal food stamps, formally known as the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP), increased by approximately 11,133 persons per day. When Obama was inaugurated in January 2009, the number of SNAP recipients was 31,939,110. By October 2012, the latest month reported, they had jumped to 47,525,329. That means the food stamp program grew by an of approximately 11,133 recipients per day from January 2009 to October 2012.

Welfare has become a major political issue in the United Kingdom. During the 13 years when Labour was in power, it seems not to have occurred to most Britons that Labour’s open-door immigration policy, combined with the U.K.’s liberal welfare benefits, were likely to lead to abuse. Now, people are starting to notice. The Sun, a tabloid published in London, is the U.K.’s largest-selling newspaper. It focuses mainly on soccer and celebrities, but its news coverage, to the extent it exists, can be entertaining. This story sounds like something out of The Onion, but it evidently is legitimate. The Sun...

President Obama on Monday became the first American president to refer to gay rights in an inaugural address, drawing effusive praise from gay rights advocates for his strong embrace of the cause and reflecting how much his views have changed. “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,” the president said, “for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.” He invoked the Stonewall riots of 1969, a landmark event in the history of the gay rights...

BURLINGTON, Vt. —The Burlington Police Department is getting caught in the crossfire between Burlington City Council and Second Amendment advocates. A shooting range in Morrisville, Vt. is no longer letting Burlington Police officers train there.

Baghdad (CNN) -- Iraq's state-owned oil exploration company has made the country's first oil find in 30 years, an Oil Ministry spokesman said Monday. The company found at least a billion barrels of crude under the ground in a southeastern province near the border with Iran, spokesman Assim Jihad said Monday. The discovery in Maysan, about 350 kilometers (215 miles) south of Baghdad, is a "significant achievement" for the country, Jihad said. Despite vast reserves and reliance on oil for government income, exploration in Iraq has been hindered by decades of conflict.

Four people reportedly shot along Martin Luther King, Jr. parade route in New Orleans (CBS/AP) NEW ORLEANS - At least four people were shot Monday in New Orleans along the route of the city's Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial March. CBS affiliate WWLTV reports that, according to neighbors, gunshots rang out less than an hour after the parade passed through the neighborhood. New Orleans police responded to the gunfire at about 1 p.m. in the Central City neighborhood, near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and LaSalle Street. Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas was among those who responded to...

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With President Obama's second inaugural address out of the way, with its combination of high sounding language and bitter, partisan combativeness, one is moved to wonder what inaugural addresses were like in alternate universes.

The Black Heritage Society is sponsoring the 35th annual "Original" MLK Parade beginning at 10 a.m. on the corner of Texas and Jackson in downtown. Glorice McPherson, event coordinator for the Black Heritage Society, said the festivities will include an awards gala, a health fair, and a groundbreaking for a statue of MLK Jr. Charles Stamps, chairman and CEO for the MLK Parade Foundation, said the parade will have two battle of the bands contests this year instead of just one, as well as the youth parade.

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The U.S. Government took some enormous steps and continues to take enormous steps to right the economy.In his 2013 outlook, KKR's Henry McVey points to the $7.66 trillion worth of stimulus as a reason to be bullish on real assets like real estate and commodities.From McVey:The United States is running an explicit reflationary policy of holding nominal interest rates below nominal GDP. Though this relationship was slightly more stretched back in the late 1970s, it is again near record levels. We are also dealing with far more liquidity injections by the U.S. government than in the past. In the U.S....

The ceremonial lunch President Obama and his former congressional colleagues are eating Monday tops out at 3,000 calories, according to a website that has tallied up the luxurious menu of lobster, bison and apple pie. HealthyFoodRecipe.net posted the full menu, complete with its calorie count, and said it was “unsatisfactory” to see such an unhealthy spread, given first lady Michelle Obama’s push for healthier eating. She has come under fire for the high-calorie counts of some of the state dinners she’s hosted at the White House, but other nutritionists have given her a pass, saying indulging on special occasions is...

As we officially embark into President Obama's second term today, let's take a moment to examine the new economic normal with which the voting public is apparently quite comfortable. While we've finally, technically fallen below the national eight percent unemployment rate we heard so much about during Obama's first term, there is a very significant qualifier in that math that communicates nothing really uplifting about where our economy actually stands: The number of Americans age 16 or older who decided not to work or even to seek a job increased by 8,332,000 to a record 88,839,000 in President Barack ObamaÂ’s...

President Barack Hussein Obama’s second inauguration was every bit as historic as his first — not because it said so much about the nation’s long, bitter, unfinished struggle with issues of race, as was the case four years ago, but because it said so little about the subject. Reflect for a moment: A black man stood on the Capitol steps and took the oath of office as president of the United States. For the second time. Meaning that not only did voters elect him once — which could be a fluke, a blip, an aberration, a cosmic accident — but...

If you live in a small town in Connecticut, you are more likely to have a pistol permit than a city dweller. While Bridgeport has the highest number of permit holders, several small, rural towns top the list with the highest percentage of their population having a pistol permit. About 170,000 people in Connecticut have them, and the number of individuals seeking them has increased in recent years. Attorney Ralph Sherman of New Britain, who has had a pistol permit for about 25 years, said he originally got his because he knew people who had awakened to discover a burglar...

The Economy Almost Always Does Worse During A President's Second Term The EconomistJanuary 21, 2013The economic performance of American presidents tends to deteriorate during their second term THE economic auguries for Barack Obama’s second term are not good. By comparing the changes across eight economic indicators (GDP, industrial production, household incomes, house prices, unemployment, consumer confidence, stockmarkets and federal debt) during their presidential terms, The Economist has analysed the economic performance of all 11 two-term presidents since Teddy Roosevelt took office in September 1901. The first chart below shows that the average change in each of these economic indicators. With...

Does It Take Another Civil War? Politics / US PoliticsJan 20, 2013 - 02:31 PM By: Michael T Bucci To think that twenty young children massacred in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14 would become catalysts to accelerate the continuing disintegration of American society was unconscionable on December 14th - and it remains unconscionable. While the nation fell into shock followed by grief, many wrote on the web, "Obama's gonna take away guns!" The narcissism of "2nd Amen" cultists is without boundaries it appears; to wit: the NRA rallies. The goal to divert attention away from those child victims of guns...

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Our journey is not complete until all of our children from the streets of Detroit to hills of Appalachia, to the twi-plains of Newtown know they're cared for and cherished and always safe from harm. That is our generation's task, to make these words, these rights, these values of life and liberty in the pursuit of happiness real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life. It does not mean that we all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same, precise...

At first blush, the reaction to this Gallup poll is … so what? Barack Obama managed to get himself elected to a second term anyway, even with historically anemic approval numbers. But there’s more to this than just last November: President Barack Obama averaged 49.1% job approval during his first term in office, among the lowest for post-World War II presidents. Only Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford had lower job approval averages. Obama’s first-term average is most similar to Bill Clinton’s. Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and Dwight Eisenhower were the most popular first-term presidents. Obama’s first-term approval average, like those...