Free Republic

For former IRS staff and tax experts, the case confirms what they view as one of the agency's long-standing weaknesses: its inability to cope with the growing number of tax-exempt advocacy groups that appear to stretch the law to engage in politics. With the IRS now under fire for its practices, campaign finance lawyers anticipate that the agency will shy away even more from regulating such organizations. At the heart of the issue is the murky role occupied by nonprofit "social welfare" organizations, set up under Section 501(c)4 of the tax code, which are allowed under IRS regulations to engage...

Bill Whittle (of EjectEjectEject and PJTV fame) gives the speech we ALL need to hear. . . Whittle at Restoration Weekend

The National Weather Service's forecast center in College Park, Md., which watches winter storms, put out a long-range notice Thursday saying a nor'easter was possible for mid-Atlantic and New England states by Election Day through next Thursday. Forecaster Bruce Sullivan said it wouldn't be as bad as Superstorm Sandy and isn't tropical. But it could include snow in interior New England and New York, beach erosion and high winds for areas hit by Sandy and moderate or heavier rainfall. Winds could be about 30 to 40 mph. "I wouldn't get too alarmed yet," Sullivan said. "But it's something we're going...

The lyrics, re-calibrated to actual reality: Imagine an America Where the Lefties are running free Where all guns are nixed And politicians lie But the birth control is free We are not allowed to worship! Our news is good enough Give us higher tax And more business whacks As we bow to Chinese lords. . . We’re the children of Obama True Socialist through and through But they won’t let us re-distribute And so now we’re blaming you We haven’t killed all the jobs yet But it’s not for lack of trying Well, my dad was sacked The Fed is...

Anyone else getting "spam" emails linking to the "Innocence of Muslims" trailer, and asking you to Report it ??? I've gotten 4 today. . . Wonder if someone is trying to do an Astroturf. . . .

The Right’s Twenty Rules of Racism: 1. Anyone responsible for three hundred years of slavery would have to be a lot older than you and me. 2. There has to be some genetics in “racism’s” DNA, some DNA in its gene pool, or it just isn’t racism. 3. Racism could be eliminated in the United States if we could just eliminate the white liberals who so plainly depend on it so much and do so much to keep it going. 4. Reality isn’t racist: The reality is that there are pond-scummy gallows bait in every group. Some of those will...

Getting Guns Right by Michael Z. Williamson Once again lately, firearms are in the news. This seems odd. The news is about the unusual, and after 700 or more years in use, firearms are hardly unusual. In America, they've been a vital part of the culture since its inception. Yet we're still debating the subject, and the media almost always gets its facts wrong. At its basic level, a firearm is a piston engine. A propellant is ignited and powers a projectile down a bore. Instead of working a crank, it is forced out in a chosen direction. The impact...

Found a good deal for the Preppers out there: Woot! is selling a good Gamo Air Rifle, .177 caliber, for $135 bucks including shipping. Gamo Varmint Stalker with Scope I've been looking at Air Rifles/Pellet Guns to add to my collection of useful tools, and got this deal in the mail this morning. It won't last long: Woot's deal is 1 day or whenever they sell out, whichever comes first. . . . I grabbed one, many of you will probably like this deal too, about half retail, and about a third off of general online prices.

The headline: Buried, burned, and blown up: Bomb disposal crews explode chemicals in undisclosed location after officials found 'mind-boggling' stash of ammunition in killer's lair

An American Navy ship fired on a boat in the Persian Gulf today, killing one person and injuring three others aboard the craft, U.S. naval officials told ABC News. Lt. Greg Raelson, a spokesperson for the Navy's 5th Fleet, which is based in nearby Bahrain, said that a security team aboard the oil supply ship U.S.N.S. Rappahannock fired a .50 caliber machine gun at a "small motor vessel after it disregarded warnings and rapidly approached the U.S. ship" off the coast of Jebel Ali, a city approximately 30 miles from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

I don't like shilling my own stuff, but this is a little different. So here we go. . . Good evening, fellow Freepers. I’ve been here on FreeRepublic for 12 years now, and also the founder of a small informal organization that delivers support to the deployed troops in unit-size lots, instead of individual CARE packages. We’re kicking off our annual push tomorrow, and are asking for your support. . . I’m including our standard one-page “elevator pitch”. Our current outfit being supported is the 60th Ordnance Company, aka the Wolfpack, which recently deployed to Afghanistan. Please take a look...

Submitted without comment

Sure, provide free contraception. But if you're getting taxpayer-paid contraception, you must provide sex on demand from any taxpayer. After all, the current system discriminates against the ugly, the fat, the shy. . . . (grinning like hell, diving for cover. . . )

Several of my friends have been discussing the Fluke issue, and the larger issue of the entire Mandate. It's flamingly obvious that this is to get the discussion away from the economy in general, and gas prices in particular. And THEN a friend had the idea: USE it to turn the talk back to the Economy: How bad is the economy when a young woman can’t even afford the price of a condom? or This poor young woman can’t afford to pay for her own birth control. Four years ago, she could have. . . . Any better ideas ??

Sumner looked up from the incident report to find Secretary of State Ernest Tyszczenko and Secretary of Defense Isaac Guillory staring down at him expectantly. "I wouldn't have believed it if it had been any less blatant or less well documented," Sumner said. Guillory nodded. "It was witnessed by more than thirty people, most of them First Division troops." "Where's the murderer now?" "The Afghan foreign minister claims he's in custody awaiting trial," Tyszczenko murmured. "Oh? Really?" Sumner rose and stood with arms akimbo. "Awaiting trial? We'll see about that." He stabbed at the intercom button on his desk phone....

Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday blasted the Defense Department for classifying the Fort Hood massacre as workplace violence and suggested political correctness is being placed above the security of the nation's Armed Forces at home. During a joint session of the Senate and House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, the Maine Republican referenced a letter from the Defense Department depicting the Fort Hood shootings as workplace violence. She criticized the Obama administration for failing to identify the threat as radical Islam. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/06/military-growing-terrorist-target-lawmakers-warn/#ixzz1fsu7tKoG

(Excerpt) President Obama has an unwelcome holiday gift for New Yorkers — he’ll be coming to Midtown the same day the streets will be impossibly clogged by the Rockefeller Plaza tree-lighting ceremony. He has picked Wednesday, one of the busiest gridlock-alert days of the year, to descend on the area with his motorcade for a fund-raiser and party. While throngs squeeze into the blocks around Rockefeller Center, where teen heartthrob Justin Bieber will be performing, the president and his entourage will be just a few blocks away at the Sheraton New York Hotel. It’ll be the double whammy of all...

(Excerpt: Full article at link above) You have the right to remain stupid, and what you say and do can and will be used against you in the court of public opinion. Unfortunately, the court of public opinion is expanding into a stupid-is-as-stupid-does joke. And it has a president and gang of thieves in the United States government to represent it. So goes the sheeping of America. Welcome to Euro II. With the level of dishonesty, fraud, abuse of power, corruption, rampant irresponsibility, downright criminal behavior and vehement refusal to be accountable, our government has clearly lost its collective mind...

Physicists say sunspot cycle is 'going into hibernation' What may be the science story of the century is breaking this evening, as heavyweight US solar physicists announce that the Sun appears to be headed into a lengthy spell of low activity, which could mean that the Earth – far from facing a global warming problem – is actually headed into a mini Ice Age. The announcement made on 14 June (18:00 UK time) comes from scientists at the US National Solar Observatory (NSO) and US Air Force Research Laboratory. Three different analyses of the Sun's recent behaviour all indicate that...

The business of memorializing our war dead done, President Obama headed out to the Fort Belvoir golf course today, finding his way onto the links for the ninth weekend in a row. Obama earlier today laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and met with families of those killed in battle. But he emerged from the day’s solemnity to go golfing for the 12th time this year and the 70th time of his presidency. The decision to golf on Memorial Day invites comparison with President George W. Bush, who gave up the game early in his presidency...

Looks like someone, probably a 4chan member, is having some fun at the Union's expense. Note who is "supporting" the Union Protestors. . .

Part 5 of Bill Whittle's ongoing "What We Believe" series, focuses on the right to Keep and Bear Arms. . . the whys and the real reason for the Second Amendment. . .

I come to defend Elizabeth Moon. Not because she really needs help—the lady is perfectly capable of standing on her own. Not because I’m a fan of hers. I have a couple of her books in the stack, but haven’t had time to read recreationally in years. Not because she’s a fellow vet, though that would be a good enough reason. Not because we agree politically. As I understand, she’s quite liberal, and I’m a militant anarchist. I come to defend her because she’s right. In dumbed-down America, being right is a social crime. Please note that the below blog...

Yep, a vanity. About Cheerleaders and Facebook Cheerleaders. OK, Facebook fluff. EXCEPT. . . They're in a challenge, and if they can get another ~2200 fans on Facebook, TODAY, their sponsor will donate $5K to a military charity chosen by the Cheerleaders. So I'm requesting your support here, and your asking your networks to support them as well. It's all good, and it's for the Troops in the end. . . All you need to do is friend them on Facebook. Link above, and link right here: FB USA Cheerleaders Page Now, back to your regularly scheduled FR. . .

At any major event, there's ALWAYS a way to make a drinking game out of it. And so. . . . How to get hammered by the second standing ovation of tonight's SOTU speech: Requirements: TV Set, tuned to the State of the Union Speech. Drinking vessel of your choice. Adult Beverage of your choice. Copious Quantities thereof. . . Rules: 1. At the mention of "I", "me", or "my", sip your beverage. 2. At the mention of any of these phrases, you chug the Adult Beverage of your choice and refill: * "let me be clear" * "make no...

Popping up on Facebook tonight, was an acquaintance flogging his blog. What was fascinating was what the liberals and netroots seem to think about how we on the Right do business. Consider it, in many ways, a guided tour through a Leftie's mindset. Included is the assumption that the Left can organize via social networks, but apparentely we cannot. As an EXTRA bonus, he even throws up a link to a group of blogs fighting "climate change" It shows me, how much has changed, and how far Blue America has gone from those of us in Red America. And what's...

According to Reuters, Lord Zero said: "President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that the "stars are aligned" to pass healthcare reform legislation and Congress should take advantage of that opportunity."

So you may have heard that ABC is doing a remake of the 80s television miniseries, "V". Trailer is at the link above. What's interesting is the angle: Devotion is the weapon, a carefully crafted message from the Visitors of Change and Hope. And a good-looking, charismatic spokeperson, with demands for a perfectly controlled image. I wonder if ABC realizes JUST how subversive it is, especially as the bloom comes off the Administration. It's even identified by a single letter. And, of course, the bringers of Change and Hope are hiding their true face, and have sinister ambitions. Sound familiar...

This popped up in my email today. It SOUNDS bogus, but with the current administration, you never know: Military to Pledge Oath To Obama, Not Constitution Conservative News and Reporting "News for the Rest of Us" Michele Chang Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is extremely frustrated with orders that the White House is contemplating. According to sources at the Pentagon, including all branches of the armed forces, the Obama Administration may break with a centuries-old tradition. A spokesman for General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that the Obama Administration wants to have soldiers...

Listen up, people. ..this isn't even CLOSE to over. Perhaps you need a little motivation. . .

On another board, a discussion of Barry O's stats came up, as if he was a D&D character. . . And so, for your amusement and edification: The Character Sheet of Barack Obama * * * * * * * * * * * Barack H. Obama: Level 12 Politician INT: 18 CHA: 18/75 STR: 9 CON: 9 DEX: 7 WIS: 3 Alignment: Neutral Chaotic: Chaotic Evil Tendencies Skills: Oratory +80 (provided the Holy Teleprompter of Axelrod is at hand: otherwise, -20) Persons of INT or WIS less than 10 roll a saving throw vs Glamour: if they lose, they...

Judah Benjamin’s analysis follows the Foreword. TD Foreword: Those who have followed this blog know that our working assumption has been that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. We have asserted that Obama’s legal name and citizenship changed when he was adopted by Lolo Soetoro, and that the birth certificate image published on Obama’s campaign website does not reflect current records. You can read the previous articles referenced at the end of this post to catch up on our analysis. We now wonder if our assumption about Obama’s birth place was wrong. I have received an unverified tip that certified...

PETA Requests Vegetarian Diet in Jail for Cannibalism SuspectBy KENNETH DEAN Staff Writer Sheriff's officials were astounded Thursday by a letter requesting the man accused of murdering his girlfriend and possibly participating in cannibalism be placed on a vegetarian diet to keep him from being "involved in any senseless killing" while incarcerated. The letter was faxed to the Smith County Sheriff's Jail from the national headquarters of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Thursday morning. The Tyler Morning Telegraph received a copy of the letter before officials and notified Sheriff J.B. Smith. "You have to be kidding me,...

Never have the Capitol Steps nailed it so well. . . .Question is, who will wear the helmet ? Bill ? Al ? Or special guest star, the soon to be forgotten Ned Lamont ?

Need some help here. A lot of us have been following the apparent staging of events in South Lebanon by Hezbollah. Elsewhere, I've gotten into arguments, mostly with a bunch of Euros, who are claiming the "Green Helmet Guy", aka Abu Chadi the Mortician, is just "getting the word out from their side of the argument". Any resources out there showing him unloading and "planting" corpses from his refrigerated truck ??? These Eurotrash apparentely can't add two and two together, so to convince, I need more iron-clad proof. Anyone know of any such proof ???

Five of the popular animals euthanized after girl, 9, is bitten Public condolences poured into the Minnesota Zoo on Friday, as zoo visitors and staff mourned the deaths of an entire meerkat family. Kids raced to the outdoor exhibit in Apple Valley and plastered their hands against the glass, only to find nothing inside. A small boy in a stroller wailed as his mother told him the creatures were away on vacation. "This is a hard day. This was frustrating, sad and totally avoidable," said Tony Fisher, zoo collections manager. "People need to respect the barriers we put up to...

Friends, I bear bad news. SF editor and founder of Baen Books, Jim Baen, died quietly around 5PM yesterday, June 28, 2006. The source link has his obituary, written by his friend and fellow author and editor, David Drake. Editor extraordinaire, friend of the fans, patriot. Jim will be greatly missed. . . .

. . .Jim Baen, editor and publisher of Baen Books, had a stroke last evening and is in a coma. His wife and children are at his side at a hospital. The family requests no cards or flowers at this time. Prayers, however, are a very different matter, and much appreciated. Updates at Baen's Bar, Waiting Room Conference You will have to create an account to read status, but it's free and spam-free. . . The Bar

As many of you here in West Virginia know, Senator Byrd's wife died recently. And that he was married for 55+ years. Which means the 6-month rule may come into play: i.e. with long, stable marriages, spouses often die within 6 months of each other. . . Which, in turn, means we may well be looking at an Open Seat, come November, or, alternately, Senator Byrd dying AFTER filing/nominating dates close: the "Missouri" scenario that bit John Ashcroft. So, putting on my old hat as a contingency planner (acquired while I was in the Air Force). . . . what...

April 2006 Message from Dan Greetings Readers, Friends, and Other Visitors: The Time Traveler appeared suddenly in my study on New Year’s Eve, 2004. He was a stolid, grizzled man in a gray tunic and looked to be in his late-sixties or older. He also appeared to be the veteran of wars or of some terrible accident since he had livid scars on his face and neck and hands, some even visible in his scalp beneath a fuzz of gray hair cropped short in a military cut. One eye was covered by a black eyepatch. Before I could finish dialing...

Went to pick some things up at the local Wally-world today, and there, covering the theft sensors, it was. . . a movie poster announcing the release of "Brokeback Montain" on DVD. . .and curiously enough, the NEXT sensor had an ad for "Narnia". . . I was under the impression that Wal-Mart was trying to be family-friendly, at least in entertainment: they limit song lyrics, I'm actually surprised that they're selling "Brokeback" next week . . .

This is a wierd one. I'm about to move to West Virginia, and looking into getting broadband there. And Time-Warner Cable claims they need my SOCIAL SECURITY number in order to apply for Internet Access. Anyone ever heard of such a requirement before ???

Leave it to some wag on the net. . . First came the Hamsterdance. Cute, but annoying. . . . Then the Mohammed Cartoons. Annoying to Muslims. . . . . .thus, someone wed the two together and formed. . . The Mohammed Dance Page!No, I didn't write it, but I did spit a mouthful of Coke all over my keyboard when I saw it. .

OK, we keep hearing the Governor's race is neck and neck, with Tim Kaine possibly ahead. Heck, I live in NoVa, and have YET to hear one Jerry Kilgore ad, and yet hear 4-5 Tim Kaine ads on the drive in and the drive home. So I'm getting a bit worried. Any GOOD, RELIABLE sources of how not just the Governor's race, but Lt. Governor (I **hate** Lesbian, excuse me, Leslie Byrne with a passion), Attorney General, and the General Assembly as well ? I'm actually worried that with Warner in the Governor's office, and the current crop of RINOs...

I'm sure all too many of us have gotten disgusted with the idiotic antics of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Well, with a little luck, it may be payback time. . . You see, driving home from grocery shopping yesterday, I heard an ad for Oscar Mayer's latest promotion: Win the Wienermobile for a Day: you just have to write an essay on how and where you'd use it. At this point, many of you are, no doubt, hearing a large-skulled lab mouse whisper into your ear: Are YOU pondering what **I'M** pondering ??? Yep. I am....

This morning, I checked my bank account online, to see exactly what my pay was this week (I'm hourly, so it varies), and to my very pleasant surprise, my refund from the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Taxation was there as well. . .3 days after they accepted my electronically-filed return. So I **THEN** hit the IRS Website, link above, to check status on my Federal Refund. And got an interesting response: it told me to CALL the IRS, give a specific extension, and reference a certain code-number. I did so. The IRS person who eventually answered (~5 minutes on...

This is part of a semi-regular series of flash lambastes against idiot celebrities called "You're a F*cking Moron". It's not work-safe, and the language is definitely blue, but it DOES roast ol' Jabba on the spit to a definite crisp. . . http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/189866 Additional warning: sponsored by some kind of "adult" personals site, some might find that objectionable. . .

A quick look at the DUmmies shows their latest tactic: another googlebomb attempt, trying to link the best-selling Swift Boat Veterans for the Truth's "Unfit for Command" with either the White House bio of President or the President's re-election campaign site. Truly pitiful. . .and to think they actually BELIEVE this kind of crap changes minds ???

There it was, at the top of the Drudge Report: the many projected paths of Hurricane Frances. And then it hit me: it could go left, it could go right, it could go anywhere. Sound Familiar ? Let's give a big welcome to Hurricane Frances: The Kerrycane !!

Check the link for the latest "graphic sign" the 'rats are pushing. Not only is it lousy artwork, as I'm sure Registered or SacredCowBurgers or similar could do a MUCH better retaliatory version, but since they have their John Kerry "Patriot" (which, in and of itself is a laugh. . .) kicking Dubya, who's wearing a US Military flier's outfit. Guess they don't like the Military either. I just can't see why sKerry isn't dressed in his Vietnam duds. . . .(evil grin)