Free Republic

With his approval rating dropping to historic lows, unemployment at an epic high and the Dow closing in the gutter, President Barack Obama is cutting his losses and taking a few days off. The president will be staying with his family at the Blue Heron Farm, a sprawling, $50,000-per-week estate with plenty of room for staff and Secret Service agents accompanying him on the trip. Mr Obama boarded Air Force One with First Dog Bo on Thursday as a new poll showed a startling loss in the commander-in-chief's favourability before he heads to Martha's Vineyard.

Results of a new study suggest that women are less sexually attracted to men who smile, further cementing the axiom that nice guys finish last. The study found that women were least attracted to smiling, happy men, preferring those who looked proud and powerful or moody and ashamed. On the other hand, men were most sexually attracted to women who looked happy, and least attracted to women who appeared proud and confident. The study, published Tuesday in the journal Emotion, is the first to show that women are sexually attracted to a brooding hulk, while men are sexually attracted to...

COB ADDER — A groggy little boy looks up from his mother’s lap. The presence of American Soldiers in his room is certainly not expected. His face brightens a bit after he and his mother receive small bags of treats from the Americans. A mother and her 4-year-old son rest together in a recovery room following surgery to repair the boy’s cleft pallet, June 26, 2010. The surgery was performed at a mobile medical treatment facility on Contingency Operating Base Adder by volunteer doctors from Smile Train Italia. U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Patrick Wilson.His recovery room is actually...

As readers of The Up Blog know, I don’t write many personal posts mentioning my life or family. But before you view what will be one of the most inspirational videos you ever watch (if you enjoy humor and sappiness), I wanted to fill you in an a few details that caused me to find it. My wife and I are church planters. We have dedicated our life to helping people know Jesus. We befriend many people who have felt rejected at church and decided to leave. We have gathered these new friends into “Bible Study” ” Better Man” “Better...

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 20, 2009 – Special operations troops here delivered gifts from Americans to Afghans that some say are as important as their combat missions. A young Afghan girl proudly stands with her new bag of school supplies, clothing and toys given to her by troops of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan. The troops stopped by a Bagram elementary school to deliver the gifts March 15, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jamey Trigg   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “We are in Afghanistan to rebuild the country and, in my opinion, we need...

2/3/2009 - CAMP BUCCA, Iraq (AFNS) -- Every day as the dawn breaks over the Iraqi desert, hundreds of Iraqis line up to visit their relatives at the Theater Internment Facility at Camp Bucca that holds more than 10,000 detainees. Every day before that sun rises, Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron prepare for the visit of the hundreds of Iraqis and control their access to detainees. "Family members come from all over Iraq, and under the Geneva Convention, they are authorized family visitation with the detainees," said Col. Alan Metzler, the 586th Air Expeditionary Group commander. "Our...

Iraqi children thank an Iraqi Policeman with smiles after receiving a case of bottled water in the 9 Nissan district of eastern Baghdad, Nov. 20, 2008. Photo by Sgt. Jeremy Todd, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs. FOB RUSTAMIYAH — Iraqi Police (IP) officers and U.S. Soldiers attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, teamed up to distribute humanitarian aid to those who needed the assistance in eastern Baghdad, Nov 20. The IP and Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, attached to 4th BCT, 10th...

Kid Rock performs some of his most popular songs for the gathered troops during the 2007 USO Christmas show, Dec. 19, at Camp Ramadi. Photo by Spc. Ricardo Branch, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs. CAMP RAMADI — The United Service Organization brought its Holiday Troop Visit Tour to the service members and civilians here with a special show at the Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) center, Dec. 19. Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opened the show to an excited crowd of more than 600 attendees.“You all do a...

Iraqi families have welcomed the new primary healthcare center that recently opened at Nasr Wa Salam between Baghdad and Fallujah. USACE photo by Norris Jones. BAGHDAD — If you build it, they will come. And when a new primary healthcare center (PHC) recently opened between Baghdad and Fallujah, come they did in record numbers. Dr. Mohammad Gassan said at the old clinic they were seeing 75 to 150 patients daily. Today they are treating 250 to 450 patients daily. “Some mothers are walking miles to bring their sick infants here,� he said. Through word of mouth, residents have heard that...

Culinary Specialist Seaman Vannessa Robertson, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-40 Detachment Horn of Africa culinary specialist, sprinkles seasoning on fish before putting it in the oven. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Mary Popejoy U.S. Navy Seaman Vannessa Robertson Culinary Specialist Serves up Food and Smiles By Petty Officer 1st Class Mary Popejoy CJTF-HOA Public Affairs CHARICHCHO, Ethiopia, Oct. 16, 2007 — Far away from the dining facility of Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, the Soldiers and Sailors of Forward Operating Location Charichcho look to Culinary Specialist Seaman Vannessa Robertson to serve up tasty treats that keep their bellies full...

BAGHDAD — Indissar Fadhil gave birth to Hassan about eight months ago. The boy was healthy aside from one major complication: He had a cleft lip and palate. His upper lip had no sides because they were compressed to the center. He had no roof inside his mouth to separate his mouth from his nasal cavity. “I was astonished and worried for my baby because he wouldn’t stop crying and he was unable to eat,” Fadhil said. Fadhil said she experienced many struggles and setbacks before receiving positive feedback about getting treatment for her son. “I initially contacted several doctors...

BAGHDAD — Humanitarian assistance packages were delivered to displaced families at the Al-Salaam Neighborhood Advisory Council by Multi-National Division—Baghdad Soldiers March 29. Through coordination with the Neighborhood Advisory Council, U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin Morales, commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and his paratroopers delivered boxes of food, oils and sanitation supplies. The NAC senior leadership insisted the exchange be made after the meeting, so residents of Al-Salaam could see the progress made through cooperation with Iraqi and Coalition security forces. “It will be good for the community to see...

Sgt. 1st Class Bill Bowen, Company C, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Brigade, hands-out candy and gum to children sitting outside the Al Hamdaniyah School in western Baghdad. Bowen, a native of Stanton, Ky., and members of Company C dropped off school supplies and backpacks for the 310 students attending the school. Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Mary Rose 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. CAMP SLAYER -- An infantry unit from the Kentucky Army National Guard spent the morning of Jan. 14 not patrolling the streets of Baghdad like they usually do, but delivering supplies to local school children.Soldiers from Company...

Lance Cpl. Katherine L. Davis, motor transportation, Combat Logistics Battalion 15, hands out candy to children at a Sudanese refugee camp as part of a resupply mission outside Camp Korean Village, Iraq. CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE -- The candy coated grins on the children’s faces were matched only by the smiles of the Marines handing out the treats. The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Marines supplying the dusty refugee camp outside Camp Korean Village, Iraq were greeted with glowing eyes and high-fives, and the sound of little feet dancing around the gift-bearers. Each month since June 2005 the same...

You can't read this and stay in a bad mood! 1. How Do You Catch a Unique rabbit?Unique Up On it. 2. How Do You Catch a Tame rabbit?Tame way. 3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The forest?They Take The Psycho path. 4. How Do You Get Holy water?You Boil The Hell Out Of it. 5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete wall?Dam! 6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too long? Polaroid's. 7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?A stick. 8.. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't yours?Nacho...

8/8/2006 - KARADJE, Niger (AFPN) -- Niger villagers were smiling ear-to-ear when 14 Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, handed out soccer balls and rice in July. The 787th Air Expeditionary Squadron, made up of Airmen from the 24th Intelligence Squadron and 1st Combat Communications Squadron, is deployed to Niger for Eagle Vision. The focus of the deployment is to collect satellite imagery for mapmaking purposes. "Whenever we deploy on Eagle Vision missions, we help out host nations," said Capt. Ben Powell, 787th AES commander. The squadron collected 30 soccer balls donated by people in the Kaiserslautern Military Community. "Usually...

Soldiers bring smiles and toys Story and photo by SGT Rachel Brune 101st Sustainment Bde Maj. Richard Lazik hands a piece of candy to a child during a humanitarian assistance drop in northern Iraq June 21. DAHUK– Soldiers from across the 142nd Corps Support Battalion brought smiles and toys to children in one of Iraq 's northernmost provinces during a humanitarian assistance drop here June 21. “The 142nd enjoys this just as much as the kids enjoy it,” said Lt. Col. Ronald Green, battalion commander. “This will stay in the minds and hearts of my Soldiers.” Soldiers handed out...

5/1/2006 - BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFPN) -- As they stepped into the large, gray military cargo plane, their eyes widened and their expressions were equal parts wonder and bewilderment. This was the first time many of the Iraqi children and their parents had ever flown in an airplane, and none had ever been in an aircraft as large as the Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster III. On April 29, the aircraft, based in Southwest Asia, flew 110 Iraqi children and 97 of their parents, guardians and escorts from Amman to Baghdad in support of “Operation Smile.” Operation Smile, an international non-governmental organization,...

Sara, a Baghdad youngster, shows off her Beanie Baby, "Courage." The toy was a gift from Maj. Jim Barker, whose letter back home telling his family how much the child loved the toy resulted in the non-profit organization Beanies for Baghdad being founded in May 2003.Spc. Karl Johnson • Printer-friendly version ‘Beanies for Baghdad’ bring smiles to Iraq’s futureBy Spc. Karl Johnson February 10, 2006 BAGHDAD (Feb. 10, 2006) – In a country where having any kind of toy is a rarity, Soldiers passing out beanie babies to Iraqi children can become very popular. “The children’s faces just light...

ABOARD USS AUSTIN, Jan. 24, 2006 - Crew members of the amphibious transport ship USS Austin (LPD 4) received a late Christmas surprise Jan. 20 when several pallets of care packages were delivered by helicopter. The care packages were sent by the New York City Sanitation Department, a project that was spearheaded by Gloria Coletti, the mother of Austin Sailor Ensign John Holzer. “I am a mom on a mission,” said Coletti. She said she wanted to ensure that everyone on board received something. The care packages included numerous items, such as DVD movies, snacks, toiletries and more. “I'm very...

11/9/2005 - PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- Airmen fighting the global war on terrorism from nearby Bagram Air Base took time to spread cheer and share smiles with the people of a village here. As part of an adopt-a-village visit Nov. 3, Airmen distributed more than 1,200 pounds of winter clothes, blankets, school supplies and toys, said Master Sgt. Edgar Langdon, Bagram’s adopt-a-village coordinator. “Our adopt-a-village program gives Airmen from the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing a chance to travel outside the gate and share some goodwill with the people of Afghanistan,” said Sergeant Langdon, deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force, Base,...

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 26, 2005) -- Some service members walk away with a snack, maybe a can of soda or a pack of cigarettes, but one thing that everyone walks away with is a smile on their face. Traveling from Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, a small group of Marines loads up and heads out to various forward operating bases. Their mission -- to provide a small piece of comfort to service members who don’t have the luxury of an immediate post exchange at their location. Today’s stop is Combat Outpost, located in the heart of Ramadi and the center of...

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 13, 2005 — The humvees descended on Salhiya in the blink of an eye. Roads were closed and cordons were established as armor-clad soldiers stepped from their vehicles, wary eyes hidden behind dark glasses. As the dismounted U.S. soldiers got closer to the crowd, their tight-lipped expressions suddenly turned into smiles as children circled around for hugs. The children were orphans excited about another visit from the soldiers of A Company, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor, 4th Brigade Combat Team. The orphanage fell under the company’s normal patrol route so the soldiers and the children were well acquainted,...

The visit marked the unit's first purely humanitarian mission in Iraq, a mission made possible from donations by church groups and family members at Fort Stewart, Ga. TAWAITHA, Iraq, Aug. 11, 2005 — U.S. soldiers assigned to F Company, 26th Forward Support Battalion, brought smiles to Tawaitha children as they distributed hundreds of shoes and toys near a landfill July 23. The community of squatters who live in the landfill, located near the Rasheed Airfield, often suffer foot injuries caused by walking over sharp debris without shoes. The F Company troops, who operate in direct support of 1st Battalion, 9th...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, March 4, 2005) --Operation Happy Feet brought smiles to children of Sadr City as Soldiers of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry distributed sneakers at Marakah al-Taf Elementary School Feb. 28. Working in conjunction with Civil Affairs, Soldiers purchased 500 pairs of shoes from a local vendor to give out at the northeastern Baghdad school, according to Capt. Timothy Terese, B Co. commander. “We go around to lots of schools in the area, basically every day, to make sure they have the proper equipment to function,” said 1st Lt. Jason Rocks, B Co. fire support...

The star-spangled grin Study found that women with big, warm smiles at age 21 had happier, more productive lives DEBRA BLACK STAFF REPORTER Be it Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and her mysterious smile, or Lewis Carroll's grinning Cheshire cat, a smile can not only light up a room, but can also reveal nationality and radiate sexual appeal, warmth, modesty and decorum, according to an American researcher. For example, Americans and the British have two quite distinct smiles, said Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at the University of California at Berkeley who has studied the mysterious art of smiling. An...

WASHINGTON -- In my seven visits to Iraq between 1973 and 1988, I never saw anyone smile. No, I am not exaggerating -- not ANYONE! The Iraqi faces seemed set in stone, without expression and without words: Stalin's dehumanized creatures on the deserts of the far Near East. Oh, a tiny, tight, treacherous smile slightly lighted the face of Saddam's top man, Tarik Aziz, once when I met with him in his ministry office in 1980. Speaking of the Iranians they had captured in the war with Iran, he said, "We had to hang most of them -- we're a...

GRADUATION DAY: Despite the US invasion of Iraq and the delay of the school year, these Baghdad University graduates are trying to move forward with their lives. SCOTT PETERSON/GETTY IMAGES from the December 09, 2003 edition - http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1209/p01s03-legn.html Iraq's students say, 'Welcome back, professor' By Christina Asquith | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor BAGHDAD - After a decade of sanctions had left his physics lab a crumbling shell, Raad Mohammed decided it was time to go. In 1999, following a route trodden by thousands of the best and brightest of Iraq's academics, Dr. Mohammed escaped to Jordan without a...

"National progress is the sum of individual industry, energy, and uprightness, as national decay is of individual idleness, selfishness, and vice." -Samuel Smiles I ask you, to which side has the scale tipped in these United States?