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Is Obama a disaster zone? Of course he is. Let’s cut through the crap, shall we? The SOB has never had any experience. And, but for the failed phrase “Compassionate Conservative,” we would never have been where we are today. What the hell does America have to show for its liberal agenda? Can anyone stand up and affirmatively tell us? An educational system occupied by apologist leftists? The ideal of community values now epitomized by a lack of gang bangers saying “trick or treat” on Halloween? The concept that “family” is a couple of homosexual men with a child and...

May 12, 2009 Note: The following text is a quote: Leader of Liberty City Six Convicted on All Counts, Four Others Convicted on Multiple Counts, and One Defendant Acquitted on Charges of Conspiring to Support Al Qaeda, Attack Targets in the United States After a three-month trial, a Miami jury convicted five men of multiple charges that include conspiring to provide material support to the al Qaeda terrorist organization and conspiracy to levy war against the U.S. by discussing and planning attacks on targets in the U.S., including the Sears Tower in Chicago and the FBI building and other federal...

[NOTE: Some of the events described in a day's news may have occurred on the previous day.] Tuesday, 1 July 1980 Heat wave continues in Southwest; heat-related deaths reported in Dallas County, Texas; windstorm strikes Salt Lake City, UT.....Drought worsens in the Dakotas, wheat crops lost.....Common Cause files suit to stop independent groups from contributing to Ronald Reagan's campaign.....Independent candidate John Anderson formally announces his presidential candidacy.....Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) and colleagues form task force to work with White House as Democrats speed up formulation of tax cut plan; President Carter said to be still reluctant to okay tax relief.....Sen....

A number of people have written asking if I have anything to say about the now-famous 1970's party pics of our President-Elect, namely: The one word answer is "no." The thousand-word explanation is:  < -- SNIP -- >

James Duke Mason, son of famous international singer and former Go-Go's lead singer Belinda Carlisle is an Obama supporter and wants to raise $1,000 for the campaign prior to Oct. 24th. He says "I recognize that Obama will change America".... he also said that "My Mom and her friends have already given me $315.00".... he wants to be part of the "movement of change in America". James has lived in France since he was a toddler. Belinda moved her family (her husband is Morgan Mason, son of famed film actor James Mason) to the French countryside in 1992.

Yigal Azrouel, Balmain, Collette Dinnigan Fall/Winter ‘09When we saw the leather pants and leggings at the Givenchy, Balmain, and Alexander McQueen shows, it became clear that Eighties Goth is back.

The "Musicians Who Turn 50", "Musicians Who Turn 60", "Favorite Drummer" and "Favorite Guitarist" were such hit threads on FR, I've decided to do this one. Who is your favorite SONGWRITING DUO? We all know that Lennon-McCartney were amazing together and possibly the best songwriting duo ever. They might be mentioned several times on this thread. If you choose John & Paul, be specific about which song and lyric(s).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Vinny Appice, Anita Baker, Jello Biafra, Andrea Bocelli, Simon LeBon, Kate Bush, Belinda Carlisle, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shaun Cassidy, Darby Crash, Randy DeBarge, Bruce Dickinson, Thomas Dolby, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Siobhan Fahey, Neil Finn, Bela Fleck, Martin Fry, Lisa Germano, Grandmaster Flash, Jools Holland, Ice-T, Alan Jackson, Michael Jackson, Tony James, Joan Jett, Al Jourgensen, Nik Kershaw, Sammy Kershaw, Limahl, Madonna, Bird McIntyre, Mike Mills, Thurston Moore, Alannah Miles, Gary Numan, Michael Penn, Vicki Peterson, Prince, Stacey Q, Will Sergeant, Nikki Sixx, David Sylvian, Toyah, Tanya Tucker, Paul Weller, Jane Wiedlin, Jah Wobble.

What 1980's event helped re-shape your life, thoughts, person and/or change your focus and outlook on life? You can answer as many times as you desire.

And The Winners Are....

Musicians Ozzy Osbourne, Stevie Nicks, Ted Nugent, Steve Winwood, Robert Plant, Kenny Loggins, Glenn Frey, Alice Cooper, Tony Iommi, Chris Squire, James Taylor, Todd Rundgren, Jackson Browne, Olivia Newton-John, Donna Summer, John Bonham (R.I.P.) & Rick James (R.I.P.)

A'Keiba Burrell - daughter of rapper MC Hammer. Landon Brown - eldest son of R&B singer Bobby Brown. Lara Johnston -daughter of Doobie Brothers' singer Tom Johnston. Chloe Lattanzi - daughter of Olivia Newton-John. Crosby Loggins - son of singer Kenny Loggins. Jesse Money -daughter of singer Eddie Money. Jesse Blaze Snider - son of Dee Snider. Albert J. Brown IV - son of R&B singer Al B. Sure. Lucy Walsh - daughter of legendary guitarist Joe Walsh.

Well, actually, maybe it would’ve been an “important” endorsement 25 years ago? This is video of James Duke Mason, son of 1980’s pop sensation Belinda Carlisle and former Reagan administration official Morgan Mason (who is the son of legendary actor James Mason) — telling the world that his Mom Belinda is endorsing Hillary Clinton! Heaven IS a Place on Earth, Hillary!

Legendary rockers Journey have hired a Filipino fan to front the band after parting ways with Jeff Scott Soto earlier this year. The band discovered Arnel Pineda, from Quezon City in the Philippines via YouTube, when they saw footage of him singing Journey songs in his homeland with his band The Zoo. Original frontman Steve Perry was replaced in 1998 with Steve Augeri who was forced to leave the band due to health problems. But Pineda almost missed his dream job after initially assuming emails from guitarist Neal Schon were a hoax. “My friend Noel picked up the message on...

The increasing vitriol of the Democratic presidential WrestleMania shouldn't distract from the opportunity before progressives. The election this year has the potential to be not simply a change election but a sea-change election, one that marks the end of the conservative era that has dominated our politics for nearly three decades. It could be the progressive equivalent of the conservative triumph of 1980. In 1980 Ronald Reagan, the self-described "movement conservative," took the White House from incumbent Jimmy Carter while Republicans picked up thirty-four seats in the House and gained control of the Senate, sweeping out liberal stalwarts like George...

Like a first love or a first car, a first computer can hold a special place in people's hearts. For millions of kids who grew up in the 1980s, that first computer was the Commodore 64. Twenty-five years later, that first brush with computer addiction is as strong as ever. Millions of Commmodore 64s were sold in the 1980s. "There was something magical about the C64," says Andreas Wallstrom of Stockholm, Sweden. He remembers the day he first laid eyes on his machine back in 1984. "My father brought it home together with a tape deck, a disk drive, a...

Tulane historian Douglas Brinkley has provided the first extended look at Ronald Reagan's personal diaries ("The Reagan Diaries" HarperCollins, 2007). He makes clear this is not the entire edited collection, which is being prepared separately, but just a sample---if a large one running 680 pp. He also alerts the reader that perhaps the first genuine, reliable biography of Reagan is forthcoming by former advisor Martin Anderson and his wife, which is reassuring after the debacle of "Dutch" by Edmond Morris. Several themes stand out. First, any notion that any of the liberal journalists ever had that Reagan was lazy evaporate...

Ah...back in the day.....For me, it's flashing back to the 80's (my favorite decade)....  What were the 80s? . . . Bueller? . . . Anyone? Well, you are truly a child of the 80s if any of the following statements are true for you:    You know what leg warmers are; You know who Mr. T is; You remember when Atari was a state of the art video game system; You used to be able to breakdance (or wished you could); The phrases "bright light" and "phone home" actually mean something to you; You had a BMX bike.  The 80s...

Jenny, they've got your number in a legal battle ASSOCIATED PRESS May 20, 2007 LINCOLN, R.I. – One-hit wonder Tommy Tutone made the phone number 867-5309 famous in the band's 1982 hit single, which uses the digits over and over in its catchy refrain. Now, a Rhode Island company and a national firm are battling over the right to use the number, which doesn't reach the “Jenny” that Tutone sings about but could find callers a decent plumber. Two years ago, Gem Plumbing & Heating of Lincoln, R.I., trademarked the phone number from the song, which reached No. 4 on...

The post-9/11 Western world seems to regard suicide bombing as a traditional Islamic phenomenon in which repressed, underprivileged Muslims act out their frustrations by exploding themselves in the midst of civilians. This is, however, a misperception. The shahada are not merely frustrated human bombs embracing a time-honored tradition. Use of the tactic by Hamas and other Palestinian groups, by Jemmah Islamiyah in the Philippines, and most recently by members of the Fedayeen Saddam, might seem to suggest that suicide bombing is somehow embedded in Arab and Islamic culture, but it isn't. When Hezbollah adopted the tactic in 1983, it was...

Some Kind of Republican Was John Hughes really in favor of teen rebellion? By Michael Weiss Posted Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006, at 4:36 PM ET As far as adult teen whisperers go, John Hughes has enjoyed a remarkable staying power. Anyone who grew up in the '80s—or just caught the decade on reruns on rainy Saturday-afternoon television—can probably remember high school as much for its unique misery as for the Breakfast Club references it evokes. Hughes was in his 30s when he became successful, and he managed to make teen cinema intentionally funny and less condescending toward its core audience,...

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - Armed men broke into an upscale Amsterdam home and kidnapped the daughter of a millionaire whose fortune came from selling chemicals, including to Iraq in the 1980s, police said Tuesday. Her children were left unharmed. Police said the gunmen stormed into the home of Claudia Melchers, 37, late Monday and took her away. They said they were treating it as a kidnapping. Melchers, who runs a catering company, is the daughter of Hans Melchers, who owns Melchemie Holland, which supplied chemicals to Iraq in the 1980s. It was unclear whether the kidnapping was related to the company's...

Top Ten Chuck Norris Facts Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. Ever. Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits. Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs. The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain. If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris, you may be only seconds away from death. Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice. Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting implies the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing....

A DUTCH businessman went on trial on genocide charges in The Hague yesterday, facing accusations that he sold chemicals to Iraq in the knowledge that the Saddam Hussein regime would use them to murder thousands of people. Frans van Anraat, 63, is charged with complicity in war crimes and genocide for supplying agents for poison gas that were used by Iraq in the 1980-1988 war with Iran and against its own Kurdish population. In the deadliest attack, against the town of Halabja, in 1988, more than 5,000 people were killed by chemicals in one day. Mr van Anraat appeared unmoved...

Iran has sent a list of charges against the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to the Iraqi government, a day before his trial is to begin in Baghdad. Iran says its indictment includes charges of genocide and the use of chemical weapons. Saddam Hussein is to appear in court on charges related to the deaths of 143 people in the town of Dujail in 1982. The former president and his seven co-defendants could face the death penalty if convicted. A spokesman for the Iranian judiciary, Jamal Karimirad, said the petition of charges was filed through diplomatic channels to the Baghdad...

In July 1988, during the Iran-Iraq war, the Iranian village of Zardeh was hit by Iraqi chemical bombs. Frances Harrison returns to the village to see how local people are coping with the legacy. It was a smell like rotten herbs they say, the odour of a new form of death. Early that morning, in July 1988, the people of Zardeh were gathered in the local shrine. First they heard the planes flying overhead, nothing out of the ordinary for a village nestling in the side of a dusty dry mountain dividing Iran from Iraq. Today everyone mentions how small...

Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Iranian Judiciary Chief, criticized the trial of the overthrown Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. He pointed out that the conviction decision does not include the crimes, which were committed against Iran and the Kurds. The Iranian official agency has quoted that Shahroudi has criticized, "The conviction decision (against Saddam Hussein) has not included the crimes against humanity, especially the declaration of war against Iran and the continuity of his crimes for eight years, especially in Halabja (an Iraqi Kurdish city, which was bombarded with chemical weapons) and Kurdistan. It has been announced that the attorney Khalil Al...

It's 2005, and the 1980s are almost over again. That's right —15 years after the end of the Reagan decade, the practice of popular culture recycling its music and fashion has reached a peak. But, given the furious nature of information consumption in the digital age, it's not likely to be long before the era of leg warmers, bizarre haircuts and synthopop drops off the pop radar screen. "It's speeding up," said Pete Anderson, a veteran Los Angeles record producer best known for two decades of work with country singer Dwight Yoakam. "There used to be a statute of limitations:...

Nostalgia market wasn't ready to embrace that decade… and may never be Nikki Sixx, the bassist for the famously fast-living glam-rockers Motley Crue, thinks that even 24 years after its debut, his band still has a certain timeless aspect. “If you want to drop the tailgate, get some beer and go to a strip club, that's the Crue,” he said recently before a rehearsal for the band's new tour. Yet Sixx's band, which just released a two-disc career anthology, is returning at a particularly interesting moment. The music of the 1980s has re-entered the zeitgeist in a gigantic way. You...

The purpose of FreeRepublic.com's multiple message boards is to limit the topics for each board to particular topics. Posting the same message on all the boards defeats the purpose of multiple-boards for special topics. It is very annoying to see the same message on every bulletin board. PLEASE! DO THE READERS A FAVOR. STOP CROSS-POSTING YOUR MESSAGES!

Apparently Senator John Edwards had a close brush with the truth some months back, though like the proverbial ''broken clock'' that shows the correct time twice each day, he didn’t linger for long on the cusps of reality. According to Edwards, we live in a split society, which he described as the ''two Americas.'' Edwards attempted to portray this nation as being divided between the ''haves'' and the ''have nots,'' by which he delineated between those who are financially well-off, as opposed to others who struggle to make ends meet. However, another far more insidious divide exists across the nation,...

NEW YORK - Madison Avenue had unwelcome news for John Kerry's campaign yesterday as advertising executives said Bruce Springsteen, who is campaigning with the Democratic presidential hopeful, turns away more votes than he attracts. The campaign trails have begun to look like Hollywood Boulevard as both presidential candidates inject star power into their campaigns, with Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing with George W. Bush in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday. While many stars have spoken out about their presidential preference, with most opting for Mr. Kerry, a major ad industry study shows most voters prefer candidates who keep their distance from Hollywood....

President Reagan used several deft tactical maneuvers to exploit cracks in the Soviet armor. As president of the United States, Ronald Reagan initiated a sweeping and unprecedented program of covert actions and economic-warfare initiatives that acted to greatly weaken the Soviet economy, its support for "wars of liberation," and its hold on its power in Eastern Europe, former top Reagan administration officials said. The elements of these programs were contained in top-secret national-security directives signed by Reagan in 1982 and 1983, these sources told United Press International. "Any kind of covert-action program had to be expressed in a presidential finding,"...

The Left Says:"The 1980s were "a time of Reaganomics, burgeoning yuppies, and the Decade of Greed." Source: Source: Matt Lauer, NBC Today Show, December 30, 2003, as cited by the Media Research Center's CyberAlert of December 31, 2003. What Conservatives Think:Conservatives think it is odd that economic growth when a conservative is president is called "greed," while economic growth when a liberal is president is called "prosperity." Nonetheless, here are facts about the 1980s: From 1982 through 1989, the years President Reagan's economic policies were in effect, corporate contributions to charities grew an average of 10 percent per year, outstripping...

A friend sent me an email bemoaning, among other things, the 'increase in homelessness [and crime] in the Reagan era.' She implied that these were linked to the Kemp-Roth tax cut of 1981. Can anyone link me to a study on the subject of homelessness and crime in the 1980s? That is, to facts & figures on how many homeless people there really were, the causes thereof, and so on. I say in the absence of evidence - and I mean evidence, not just data - linking the two it's a myth to link Ronald Reagan to homelessness and the...