Free Republic

I have seen the light! I am reborn! I realize now that I have been a RINO, a wimp, a Republican and not a True Conservative. I had been laboring under the impression that since it has taken 60+ years of liberal small steps to get to the point we are at now, it would take decades of conservative small steps to get back to a more conseravative view of government. I was wrong. We can do it now, and all at once. You see, when we got 2 new Justices on the Supreme Court, I thought that was good....

WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - A U.S. House committee on Wednesday approved a bill aimed at stamping out the $12 billion Internet gambling industry by stopping businesses from accepting credit cards and other forms of payment. The bill, cleared by voice vote in the House Financial Services Committee, would prohibit a gambling business from accepting credit cards, checks, wire transfers and electronic funds transfers in illegal gambling transactions. Unlawful gambling, under the legislation, would include placing bets on online poker sites, for example, and any other online wager made or received in a place where such a bet is illegal...

Best-selling author and Muslim dissident Ibn Warraq argues that freedom of expression is our western heritage and we must defend it against attacks from totalitarian societies. If the west does not stand in solidarity with the Danish, he argues, then the Islamization of Europe will have begun in earnest. The great British philosopher John Stuart Mill wrote in On Liberty, "Strange it is, that men should admit the validity of the arguments for free discussion, but object to their being 'pushed to an extreme'; not seeing that unless the reasons are good for an extreme case, they are not good...

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Tens of thousands of angry Muslims marched through Palestinian cities, burning the Danish flag and calling for vengeance Friday against European countries where caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad were published. In Washington, the State Department criticized the drawings, calling them "offensive to the beliefs of Muslims." While recognizing the importance of freedom of the press and expression, State Department press officer Janelle Hironimus said these rights must be coupled with press responsibility. "Inciting religious or ethnic hatred in this manner is not acceptable," Hironimus said. "We call for tolerance and respect for all communities and...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington on Friday condemned caricatures in European newspapers of Islam's Prophet Mohammad, siding with Muslims who are outraged that the publications put press freedom over respect for religion. "These cartoons are indeed offensive to the belief of Muslims," State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said in answer to a question. "We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable."

Some people watch the Super Bowl just for the commmercials. Are Stargate fans in for a treat this year! Former Stargate SG-1 leading man Richard Dean Anderson ("Jack O'Neill") is jumpstarting the rest of his career with a new commercial for MasterCard. At the end of December he shot the commercial for their "Priceless" campaign, which is now set to air during Super Bowl XL on Sunday, February 5. In the ad Anderson slides down a wire, drives a semi truck through a fence, and blows up a building -- then is found in a convenience store purchasing replacements for...

* The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone. * Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury. * Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better. * Coca-Cola was originally green. * It is impossible to lick your elbow. * The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...) The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38% * The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400 * The average number of people airborne...

Swedish girls design anti-rape belt A group of Swedish teenage girls has designed a belt that requires two hands to remove and which they hope will deter would-be rapists, one of the creators told AFP on Tuesday. "It's like a reverse chastity belt," one of the creators, 19-year-old Nadja Björk, told AFP, meaning that the wearer is in control, instead of being controlled. The military-style buckle has a latch that the wearer has to move through a labyrinth into the correct position in order to unlock the belt. "You need two hands to open it, so the rapist can't hold...

They have not reformed taxes. They have not reduced federal spending. They have not repaired Social Security. And they are starting to crawfish on the War on Terrror. We may soon lose control of Congress, and when we do, will we really care? Maybe we can get Ronnie Earle to indict a few more of the useless, worthless, and invertebrate members of the Republican Congressional leadership which has frittered away the historic opportunity to produce change afforded by the electoral victories of 2004 through lack of principle and sheer cowardice. What do we need democrats for, when we have the...

An author friend (former network newsie) is taking an in-depth look at the recently defunct News Troika. It will be a great "insiders" book. In less than a year, three of the most powerful men in America have left the public scene. Tom Brokaw has retired to the ranch, Peter Jennings is dead and Dan Rather is wiling away his days wrapped in self-pity, suspended in journalistic limbo. Rather is still employed by CBS, but he is regarded in the newsroom as a “Dead Man Walking.” Much is known about ther foundations of two of these men. Brokaw was pretty...

Will Somebody Say Thank You? Turn on TV, read the local newspaper or listen to your local radio station, and all you are going to hear, see and read are accounts of people knee-deep in playing the blame game. What you don't hear is anybody saying "thank you." From the safety of France, Pierce Brosnan took the time to tell the world: "This man called President Bush has a lot to answer for. I don't know if this man is really taking care of America. This government has been shameful." Instead of lifting a finger to help Katrina's victims, this...

Tomorrow is a great day for Fathers. We used to get ties, handmade ashtrays, fingerpainted pictures and all sorts of lovingly made cards from the kid(s). Here are the FoxNFriends playing with a Black and Decker Battery powered 25' tape measurebut who really NEEDS such a wonderful tool...?Page and Kirin seemed to really appreciate this measuring device. Image #1Image #2Image #3Image #4Happy Father's Day to all our Freeper Dads!G

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Can anyone explain what Kenneth B. Mehlman, Chairman of the REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE was doing in Rottach-Egern, Germany between May 5th and the 8th 2005 ? He was meeting with Richard Perl, James Wolfensohn, Paul Wolfowitz, Virginia Governor Mark Warner, William Luti, Richard Haass, Franco Bernabe, Ziad Abu-Amr, Henry Kissinger and David Rockefeller. What was going on ?

Radical animal-rights activists may be the last people you'd think would be planning school lessons for your children. Well, think again. Through its innocuous-sounding "educational" programming arm known as TeachKind, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has found a way to reach school children starting as young as kindergarten with its extremist agenda. The opportunity for PETA (search) to gets its message into the classroom has been paved, at least in part, by various laws on the books in at least 12 states mandating humane education in public schools — thus creating a demand for curricula centered on teaching...

Terri Schiavo is not the first innocent victim of murder sanctioned by judicial fiat, although the heroic efforts of her parents alerted the world about her heartbreaking death sentence. Almost four decades ago, the fallacious concept of "brain death" was introduced to pry open the legal doors to the killing of another group of unnoticed innocents — people who agree to donate their vital organs at death. People are encouraged to consent in writing to allow another person to benefit from their vital organs, such as the heart or liver, after they die. Potential donors overcome their discomfort about the...

Has anyone suggested a pre-emptive strike against anyone profiting from this human tragedy. The logical thing would be to boycott any bookstore that would carry a Michael Schiavo or Felos penned book and to let Barnes & Nobles, Waldensbooks, Borders, etc. know it BEFORE it is published!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been pointed out on another thread that the judge in Florida has ordered nothing by mouth for Terri Schiavo.First: Is this true?Second: If so, what is the authority for such an order? Removal of a feeding tube, I can understand, under certain circumstances. This may even be legal in Florida.But nothing by mouth? This is an order to kill her.Where does this power come from? Could he order her shot? Could he order a lethal injection?If not, is it possible that his order is facially illegal?