Free Republic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday disputed an account of President George W. Bush singing the U.S. national anthem in Spanish during the 2000 presidential campaign, saying his Spanish is not that good.

Hear the incredible MP3 of the exchange between KTTV news reporter Tony Valdez and KFI's John and Ken -- CLICK AND LISTEN "And here in California there's a monument to the Mormon Battalion, the great heroes who killed a lot of Mexicans, enough Mexicans so that this part of the world could be taken by force, by force by the United States." ...Tony Valdez, KTTV Newsman, 5-1-06 Simulcast on KFI radio and KTTV ===================================================================== I've spoken to the public affairs spokesman for the Mormon church in Los Angeles and sent them the clip. I suspect that the apology the station...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A technology executive pleaded guilty Wednesday to paying more than $400,000 in bribes to a congressman in charges stemming from an investigation of Rep. William Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat. Vernon Jackson, 53, chief executive of the Louisville, Ky.-based telecommunications firm iGate Inc., admitted to bribery of a public official and conspiracy to bribe a public official during a plea hearing in U.S. District Court

Monday, May 1, 2006 9:06 p.m. EDT Dobbs: Radicals Running Immigrant Movement A leftist anti-war group has seized control of the immigrant movement that staged mass protests across the U.S. on Monday, says CNN's Lou Dobbs. Praising the Washington Post for being the only newspaper that has reported that the radical leftist group ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) was an active promoter of Monday's national boycott, Dobbs noted that the movement chose May 1, the traditional International Worker's day sanctified by the Soviet Union and Marxist movements throughout the year to stage their protest. Speaking on...

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell advised President Bush before the Iraq war to send more troops to the country, but the administration did not follow his recommendation, Powell said in an interview broadcast Sunday. Critics accuse Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld of failing to send enough soldiers to secure the peace in Iraq after the invasion three years ago. Powell said he gave the advice to now retired Gen. Tommy Franks, who developed and executed the Iraq invasion plan, and Rumsfeld while the president was present. "I made the case to Gen. Franks and Secretary Rumsfeld before...

When the free market does the exact thing liberals have been itching to do through taxation, they pretend to be appalled by high gas prices, hoping the public will forget that high gas prices are part of their agenda.

Judge Reggie B. Walton yesterday rejected the defense Motion to Dismiss filed by Lewis Libby. His opinion is deeply flawed, and I think the arguments made by Libby’s counsel are compelling, so I hope a special interlocutory appeal is allowed before the end of the trial.

The occupants of the British Airways first class lounge at Heathrow were probably rather relieved last night that the 30-strong entourage of the US rapper Snoop Dogg were turned away. But Snoop and his minders were not happy and what has been described as a "mini-riot" broke out at terminal one that left the rapper and five of his associates under arrest. Seven police officers were injured. One suffered a fractured hand, the others' injuries were more minor, mostly cuts and bruises.

Left-leaning new media has hit turbulence at the marketplace, newly released stats show. A book hyped by major media as documenting a progressive revolution of "blogs" and political power, DAILY KOS 'CRASHING THE GATE,' has sold only 3,630 copies since its release last month, according to NIELSEN's BOOKSCAN. [NIELSEN claims only 2,062 copies of DAILY KOS have been purchased at the retail level; the rest coming through 'discount' outlets.] Meanwhile, the just released radio Winter Book [Jan-Mar 2006] from ARBITRON shows AIR AMERICA in New York City losing more than a third of its audience -- in the past year!...

A Spanish version of the Star-Spangled Banner Video Posted 4/25/06 NEW YORK - Latino Pop Stars are recording a Spanish-language version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to show their support for migrant workers in the U.S. The Latino-oriented record label Urban Box Office says it plans to release the recording to coincide with the Senate's debate on immigration legislation next week. UBO President Adam Kidron said the purpose is to show solidarity with undocumented immigrants and what he says is "their quest for basic civil rights." The label says "Nuestro Himno," or "Our Anthem," is set to "rhythmic Latin musical arrangement"...

Bra producers have been forced to offer bigger cup sizes in China because improved nutrition means women are busting previous chest measurements. The Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology said the average chest size of Chinese women had increased by nearly 1cm in the past decade. Measurements were taken from nearly 3,000 women over six years. In response, some underwear companies have created sub-brands specialising in larger bra sizes. "It is so different from the past when most young women would wear A- or B-cup bras," Triumph brand saleswoman Zhang Jing told the Shanghai Daily. Meeting demand The Hong Kong-based lingerie...

Inspired By: KenderAs a student of higher mathematics in high school, we often have to do what's called a "proof." Using given information, postulates (given theorems already proven), and definitions, we can prove new theorems. Using what Osama Bin Laden said in his recent audio tapes, I am going to prove the following theorem: IF (as the speaker claims)- "The opposition to the Hamas Government is proof of a crusade (opposition to muslims), THEN muslims are terrorists. It may seem like a radical claim, but here is the reasoning: Given: Opposition to Hamas is Opposition to Muslims Postulate (Proven Theorem):...

April 22, 2006 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A passenger who claimed to have a bomb aboard a United Airlines flight was subdued by passengers as the California-bound plane was diverted to Denver International Airport. Two F-16 fighter jets from Buckley Air Force Base scrambled to escort the plane. The A-320 Airbus heading to Sacramento, Calif., from Chicago flew into Denver Friday. The F-16s followed to make sure nothing untoward was going to happen. Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega tried to open an door on the Airbus A-320 en route from Chicago to Sacramento, Calif., and then claimed to have a bomb forcing...

See Caution below by Paul Krugman Paul Krugman: The latest polls do show some improvement in peoples' perception of the economy, although it's still strongly negative. But there's no mystery there: it's all about gasoline prices. It turns out that there's a stunningly close relationship between short-term movements in Bush's approval rating and changes in the price of gasoline. You can see it for yourself at an interesting web site, Professor Pollkatz's Pool of Polls. (The site is very anti-Bush but provides interesting data analysis whatever your politics.) In fact, given the fall in gas prices back to pre-Katrina levels,...

April 21, 2006: 8:45 AM EDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some gasoline distribution terminals from Virginia to Massachusetts are seeing shortages as the industry phases out a water-polluting additive, the U.S. Energy Department said on Thursday. The Energy Department has reported shortages at terminals near Richmond, Virginia, as well as the Tidewater area near Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Beach which distribute gasoline to service stations . Average cost for a gallon of regular will be 25 cents higher than last year, U.S. says; strong driving season expected. Critics say ill-timed legislation is partly responsible for prices at the pump, but others...

Robert Turner was only 5-years old when his mother collapsed at their home in Detroit, but he knew what to do in an emergency. He called 911 for help. But, as the tapes of those calls show, he couldn't convince the operator he was really in trouble. First call, Feb. 20, 5:59 p.m. Dispatcher: "Emergency 911, where's the problem?" Robert: "My mom has passed out ..." Dispatcher: "Where's Mr. Turner at?" Robert: "Right here." Dispatcher: "Let me speak to him." Robert: "She's not gonna talk." Dispatcher: "OK, well, I'm going to send the police to your house and find out...

U.S. to Contract Hong Kong Firm to Help Scan for Nuclear Materials Passing From Bahamas to U.S.WASHINGTON (AP) -- One of Americans' favorite beach destinations, the Bahamas, is getting a new U.S. arrival -- sophisticated equipment to detect radioactive materials in shipping cargo. But U.S. customs agents won't be on site to supervise the machine's use as a nuclear safeguard for the American shoreline that is just 65 miles away from Freeport. Under an unusual arrangement, a Hong Kong company will help operate the detector. The Bush administration says it is finalizing a no-bid contract with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. It...

Sarandon to play Cindy Sheehan in Movie.

Higgins Outraged When Sinn Fein Leader Stopped By Terrorist Watch List Mar 18, 2006 - A St. Patricks day crowd in South Buffalo didn’t get to hear the star attraction…he was detained in Washington after turning up on a terrorist watch list. Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein was detained at Reagan National Airport. Sinn Fein is the political arm of the Irish Republican Army. Congressman Brian Higgins broke the news to hundreds of people celebrating the holiday at the Irish Center in South Buffalo. “We got a call tonight that Gerry Adams is being detained in Washington for in...

South Korea issues warning as yellow snow falls Mon Mar 13, 7:49 AM ET SEOUL (AFP) - South Koreans were advised to stay home or wear masks outside as yellow sand mixed in snow fell across the western part of the Korean peninsula. The Korea Metrological Administration issued a rare health warning against a yellow snow storm in Seoul and nearby provinces. A yellow dust warning was issued in other regions. The Korean peninsula has been hit by yellow dust blowing in from northern China every spring but a yellow snow storm is rare.