Free Republic

There is much confusion in the Western world over the basic tenants of Buddhism. Many Westerners believe that Buddhism is -- a) a religion circulating around the worship of a portly Asian sage (often gilded or bronzed and meditating near the door of your favorite Chinese restaurant holding the mints and toothpicks), b) involving a lot of sitting in uncomfortable positions, and c) coldly atheistic or fancifully pantheistic (depending on which section of Wikipedia you consult) Of course, when inspected closer, these stereotypes and inadequate attempts of pigeonholing a religion that has neither formal creed nor “divine” teachings is absolutely...

I first heard about what I am about to tell you from one of the co-hosts of Bill Bennett's radio talk show. Then I listened to the interview from CBS's web site and heard it myself. On "60 Minutes" George Tenant was asked about what the CIA thought before we toppled Saddam in 2003 about Saddam getting a nuclear weapon. Tenant stated: "The intelligence community's judgment is [sic] he will not have a nuclear weapon until the year 2007, 2009." My comments on this are: Uh, wouldn't that be about now? Has this been reported anywhere other that being broadcast...

LYONS NY--After weeks of trying to get the tenants out, the building owner, Craig P. LaRussa, age 36 of 4 Spencer Street Lyons, grabbed the opportunity of an open door to make his move. He simply removed the doors leading to the upstairs apartment and on the apartment itself. Unfortunately, the tenants still refused to budge and called the police. The door removal lead to the apartment becoming cold and the unwanted tenants, along with their two young children, held out with the law on their side. LaRussa was arrested on a warrant on Saturday (12/3) for Criminal Trespass 2nd...

CONCORD, N.H. - Six newspapers in New Hampshire have agreed to stop running real estate ads that suggest children aren't welcome at the properties following complaints that the ads violated federal law. Several dozens landlords and real estate agents also agreed to stop placing ads targeting adult tenants and to submit future ads to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for review. Federal law prohibits landlords from discriminating against children. The ads included promotions like "one mature person," "quiet adult location" and "great for a single person." They are discriminatory because they make it harder for families to...

When Jerald R. Klein, a Manhattan housing court judge, got a call from a reporter yesterday morning, he had no idea why he was being bothered at home on the weekend. He did not know that his face was all over eBay. He did not know that he was for sale. "What are you talking about?" he said. "Yes, I am a housing court judge. But I'm not for sale." According to a posting on eBay, an online auction house, the 55-year-old judge would go to the highest bidder. After four days, the best offer was $127.50. The eBay advertisement,...

Open warfare between the Bush White House and the CIA erupted on Friday over the Niger-Iraq uranium controversy, with both President Bush and National Security advisor Condoleezza Rice contradicting CIA sources who blamed the White House for using intelligence in the case that it knew to be bad. On Thursday night a report with the misleading headline, "Bush Knew Iraq Info Was Dubious," appeared on the CBS News Web site, claiming, "CIA officials warned members of the President’s National Security Council staff the intelligence was not good enough to make the flat statement Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa."...

You Don't Own Me Touring the glamorous homes of the opponents of Prop. R, which would allow thousands of renters per year to buy their own apartments You want fabulous? I'll show you fabulous: It's spending a sunny Bay Area Friday in the top-down convertible of realtor-to-the-S.F.-stars Kean Brewer; it's heading across the Bay Bridge toward the stunning six-bedroom, four-bath digs of San Francisco housing activist Randy Shaw, visiting the delightful Spanish Mediterranean West of Twin Peaks home of publisher Bruce Brugmann, or the lovely Haight-Ashbury duplex of growth-control advocate Calvin Welch; it's spending an entire morning soaking in the...