Free Republic

A fifth day of rioting and bombings rocked North America and Europe as the Christian community reacted to news of a controversial biography of Jesus Christ. While public officials have appealed for calm, Christian rage seemed only to escalate yesterday as Pope Benedict issued a papal bull calling for the beheading of the book’s author, Paul Verhoeven. Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian “charity”, has announced a $3.2 million reward for anyone fulfilling the papal bull. The Bush administration denounced the Verhoeven death sentence in a press conference yesterday, drawing criticism from the Barack Obama campaign. The Democratic presidential candidate told reporters,...

I hope I was having a bad dream, but I thought I saw somewhere that George Bush said Bill Clinton was like a brother to him. I cannot find it on Drudge, or here. Did the world strip this from print?

It is absurd to believe that Bush's re-election represents the triumph of a Christian fundamentalismCOME OUT, readers, from under your bedclothes. Stop cowering behind the sofa. Quit exchanging looks of fearful incomprehension with strangers in the street. The world did not end on Tuesday. A great darkness did not descend across civilisation. America is not about to embark on a biblically-mandated jihad against the enemies of evangelical Christianity around the world. American soldiers will not be enforcing Washington’s imperium on your towns and villages any time soon. You will not be required to swap your compulsory licence fee from the...

In the Astrodome this afternoon the Houston Astro's, with the best record since mid-August, mount an incredible comeback in the last 45 days to claim the wild card birth, knocking the Cubs and Giants out of the way in the final week. Meanwhile just down the street the upstart Houston Texans spanked the Oakland Raiders and their goofy face-painted Halloween costume faux-macho followers 30-17.

<p>It is not only John Kerry who puts out false information. On Kerry's website was info that was hurredly removed that claimed the candidate was the Vice Chair of the Intelligence Committee. Whoops. That was actually Bob Kerrey. In fact, John attended very few of the very important public or private meetings.</p>

--SNIP-- Scott Peterson could barely take his eyes off Amber Frey, in her tight, charcoal suit and ratty hair dyed a shocking shade of home-brewed blond. Amber. Sweetie. How close we came! It had been nearly two excruciatingly long years since Scott laid eyes on that pale, slightly yellow-tinged skin and dazzling white overbite. Since he heard that tiny, childlike voice pester him about her kid, her needs, her fears, dreams, hopes, blah, blah and blah. But then, it was also that long since Scott gazed on those gazelle legs that yesterday ended in pointy-toed black sling-backs with three-inch spike...

Is there an emoticon or faux-HTML that represents the phrase ''tongue-in-cheek''? Certainly, one could express this with /tongueincheek , or something similar, but I'm looking for something more economical, or cleverer, or both. All ideas appreciated, and TIA! (P.S. this inquiry is my punishment for losing a bet)Oh, yes...how about ... -U- , as someone has suggested to me? Does that work well?