Free Republic

Dems, GOP together nix Murtha earmark By Susan Crabtree Posted: 05/12/08 06:52 PM [ET] Democrats and Republicans joined together to strip a pet project of Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) from the 2009 intelligence authorization bill — the same project Democrats defended last year. The Murtha earmark, $23 million for the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), was one of a handful of pet projects eliminated from the bill in a lopsided 17-4 vote. Several Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee joined with Republicans to support the amendment, which was sponsored by Rep. Pete Hoekstra (Mich.), the panel’s ranking Republican.

The Detroit City Council has taken the first step toward removing Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick over a scandal involving explicit text messages to his former aide. The council's 5-4 vote Tuesday begins a process aimed at removing Kilpatrick. Council members also voted to ask Gov. Jennifer Granholm to remove the mayor and voted to publicly censure him. . . . The mayor's office has said the council's actions are politically motivated. . . . Prosecutors have charged the two with perjury and obstruction of justice.

DETROIT (AP) -- A federal judge in Detroit has dismissed the case of a Muslim woman who sued a judge for demanding she remove her veil in court. The judge ruled Monday against Ginnnah (ZHIN'-nuh) Muhammad's claims that her rights to freedom of religion and court access were violated. Judge Paul Paruk (per-ROOK) requested she remove her veil during a 2006 hearing in the town of Hamtramck (ham-TRA'-mick). She was contesting a $3,000 charge from a rental-car company to repair a vehicle she said thieves had broken into.

McCain Economic Plan Across America, families are facing economic challenges. Gas prices are rising, mortgages are threatened, and thousands have lost their jobs. Now is the time to act and John McCain has outlined several near-term, tangible plans to address some of the challenges confronting Americans today Helping Americans Confront Higher Living Costs: John McCain Will Help Americans Hurting From High Gasoline And Food Costs. Americans need relief right now from high gas prices. John McCain will act immediately to reduce the pain of high gas prices. John McCain Believes We Should Institute A Summer Gas Tax Holiday. Hard-working American...

GAZA CITY (AFP) — The Islamist Hamas movement insisted on Tuesday that it will not agree to Israeli demands that it free a soldier held captive for almost two years as part of a proposed Gaza truce. "Whoever thinks that the Shalit issue will be settled for free as part of the period of calm is completely wrong," senior Hamas leader Mahmud al-Zahar said in a speech in Gaza City, referring to Corporal Gilad Shalit, seized in a deadly cross-border raid from Gaza in June 2006. "The issue of a prisoner exchange is completely separate from the period of calm,"...

While maintaining an ironclad commitment to Israel's security, Barack Obama says he understood why a top Hamas adviser voiced support for his presidential bid. "It's conceivable that there are those in the Arab world who say to themselves, 'This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he's not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush,'" Obama said in an interview with The Atlantic. "That's a perfectly legitimate perception as long...

Rights group got it wrong: Gaza cancer patient who 'died while waiting for permit' still alive Meital Yasur-Beit Or Published: 05.13.08, 17:42 / Israel News Stayin' alive: Muhammad al-Harrani, a father of six from Gaza diagnosed with cancer who reportedly died while waiting for a permit to enter Israel, miraculously "came back to life." This was not the result of a miracle, but rather, just part of the tactics used by al-Harrani's family in a bid to secure a permit for him. Al-Harrani is currently awaiting an entry permit into Israel, so that he can undergo head surgery at Tel...

Hoping to prevent a city bankruptcy that would suspend their union contracts, Vallejo's police, firefighters and rank-and-file employees went public Monday with an offer to cut their salaries and give up raises. Capping months of fiscal agonizing, the City Council voted last week to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy following dire predictions by city staff of imminent insolvency. The petition for bankruptcy is expected to be filed sometime this week, said city spokeswoman Joann West. Only one other city in California - Desert Hot Springs (Riverside County) in 2001 - has gone into bankruptcy. Orange County took the same step...

Otis Moss, the man slated to become the new chief pastor at Barack Obama's Chicago church, subscribes to the ideology of retiring pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and is expected to continue Wright's legacy, according to Malik Zulu Shabazz, national chairman of the New Black panther Party... Obama, however said this past weekened he will continue his membership in Trinity. He referred to Moss as "wonderful." "Well, you know, the new pastor - the young pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, is a wonderful young pastor. And as I said, I still very much value the Trinity community," Obama told the New York...

he CF’s light armoured vehicle fleet [1] in Afghanistan is being ground down by IED attacks, bad roads, and constant patrolling. Even the newest LAV IIIs (left) are wearing out. In the press, CDS Gen Rick Hillier has revealed that the CF is looking for LAV III replacements. Earlier, the CLS, LGen Leslie, suggested in a leaked report that overhaul and rebuild could extend the LAV III fleets service life. In April 2008, the maker of the LAV III, General Dynamics Land Systems- Canada, displayed its new LAV-H concept vehicle to staff at NDHQ in Ottawa (right). So what...

W hether or not his goals are ambitious enough, John McCain made it clear Monday in Portland that he will be the anti-George W. Bush when it comes to global warming and alternative energy policy. "I will not shirk the mantle of leadership that the United States bears," the presumptive Republican nominee said to an audience of journalists and Vestas employees. "I will not accept the same dead-end of failed diplomacy that claimed Kyoto." If he is elected president, McCain promised to propose a cap-and-trade system designed to ratchet down the volume of carbon emissions, which contribute to greenhouse gases....

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The outcome of West Virginia's primary Tuesday may best be foretold by where Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama plan to spend the day. West Virginia appears to be a perfect demographic fit for Sen. Hillary Clinton. Clinton is expected to be in Charleston, West Virginia, to celebrate what should be her large victory. Obama has no plans Tuesday night, but he is spending the late afternoon at a campaign event in Missouri. That state has already voted this primary season but is considered a swing state that Democrats and Republicans have in their sights this November....

Sen. John McCain's Portland-based global warming manifesto now puts all three presidential candidates -- and both major parties' leaders -- firmly in favor of aggressive cuts to greenhouse gases. McCain's goals, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, are less aggressive than those of Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, his potential Democratic opponents. But they're a quantum leap from the goals in his home state. Under Arizona's plan, the state's emissions would still be 35 percent above 1990 levels by 2020. And they're a bit tougher than the combined efforts of the Western Climate Initiative, a...

Backgrounder Canada First Defence Strategy – the four pillarsBG.08.013 - May 12, 2008The future security environment calls for a combat-capable, flexible, multi-role military. Recognizing this, the Canada First Defence Strategy sets out a vision for future operations as well as the funding required to support it. This vision, coupled with committed long-term funding, will allow the Canadian Forces to maintain excellence in operations at home, be a solid partner in continental defence, and fulfill a leadership role abroad. The continued effectiveness and sustainability of the Canadian Forces requires a long-term framework to address demand across the four “pillars� upon which...

Something is happening at the nation's largest pension fund, the Sacramento-based California Public Employees' Retirement System, which has nearly a quarter-trillion dollars in investments ranging from real estate to stocks. With that much money and a governing board dominated by politicians and union representatives, there have been hints that factors other than pure fiduciary responsibility often drive decisions. Some of those other motives have been advertised – investment in low-income housing or environmentally pure ventures, for instance – while others have been all but virtually impossible to divine, since CalPERS has been a very tight-lipped shop. The processes by which...

Plea Expected in Ring Tied to SpitzerBy WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM and IAN URBINA Published: May 13, 2008 The woman accused of being the primary booker for the prostitution ring patronized by Eliot Spitzer is expected to plead guilty this week to charges related to her role in the ring, people involved in the matter said Monday. The woman, Temeka Rachelle Lewis, 32, is expected to plead guilty in federal District Court in Manhattan to charges of money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of racketeering, one of the people said. She would be the first of...

President Bush said Monday that when he meets Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah later this week, he'll bring up the effect that high oil prices are having on the U.S. and global economies. "Of course I'll bring it up to him," Bush said in a CBS News radio interview. However, he added that the capacity of the Saudis to raise production — and thus help lower prices — is limited. "When you analyze the capacity for countries to put oil on the market it's just not like it used to be," Bush said. "The demand for oil is so high relative...

The Marine Corps far surpassed its recruiting goal last month, enlisting 2,233 people, which was 142 percent of its goal, the Pentagon said. The Army recruited 5,681 people, 101 percent of its goal. The Navy and Air Force also met their goals, 2,905 sailors and 2,435 airmen. A Defense Department spokesman, Bryan Whitman, said that if the Marine Corps continued its recruiting success, it could reach its goal of growing to 202,000 people by the end of 2009, more than a year early. end of article

Amidst the political classification in the region and talk of the moderate and extremist states, other states seem to have been overlooked – and they are the states that deserve to be called the 'fearful Arab' states. Clearly, they have come to the forefront of the events in Lebanon once again and those who attended the exceptional summit in Cairo are aware of that. The fearful Arab states are making it difficult for the moderate states in the region to carry out their tasks, and they also send wrong messages to all parties. Such states are the ones affirming, without...

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American adults believe that the push for alternative energy sources is driving up food prices. The survey found that only 23% disagree while the rest are not sure. These views are generally shared across partisan and demographic lines. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that roughly 30% of corn grown in this nation is being diverted from food consumption to ethanol production. Government subsidies have encouraged this diversion of the food supply and it is having a lifestyle impact on many Americans—particularly lower-income Americans. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans...

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in North Carolina found that the race for Governor remains close as neither candidate attracts the 50% level of support following Primary victories last week. Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R) has a 45% to 39% edge over Lt. Governor Bev Perdue (D) while Libertarian candidate Michael Munger earns support from 4% of North Carolina voters. In March, Perdue had a three-point lead over the Republican. McCrory is viewed favorably by 56% and unfavorably by 29%. Perdue’s ratings are 50% favorable, 41% unfavorable. Munger is less known, earning favorable ratings from 24%, unfavorable ratings from...

Officials from four labor unions that endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, say they will continue to lobby for her candidacy regardless of the daunting delegate math. One union is even hoping Clinton takes her battle against Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, all the way to the floor of the Democratic National Convention in August. Rick Sloan, communications director for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers says the union is rallying its members to support Clinton in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Oregon. "We're not slackening off at all -- this is full speed ahead for us," he says. "We deal...

Another democracy threatens the Mideast By MIDDLE EAST TIMESPublished: May 08, 2008 The 60th anniversary of Israel's founding has understandably focused much of the attention of Middle Eastern analysts on this old and familiar problem. But if they think this remains the prime security issue for the region, they may be looking in the wrong direction. India this week successfully completed the testing program of its nuclear-capable Agni-3 missile, designed and developed by the state-owned Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The third test launch took place May 7, and flew 3,000 kilometers to its targeted impact site in the...

The race for North Carolina remains close as the presumptive nominees from both major political parties begin the general election campaign season. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Tar Heel State finds John McCain earning 48% of the vote while Barack Obama attracts 45% support. A month ago, before the state’s Democratic Presidential Primary, McCain and Obama were tied at 47% each. Nationally, McCain and Obama are quite competitive in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll. McCain now leads by thirteen percentage points among men but trails by five among women. Obama does well among those who...

Did Gov. Steve Beshear really say what Joe Gerth is reporting he said at the democratic party fundraiser Friday night? According to Gerth's column in the C-J, Beshear joked "I can think of only one Republican who can be a problem-solver," Beshear told the crowd. "And that would be Vice President (Dick) Cheney, if he will just take George on a hunting trip." You'll remember that Cheney accidentally shot a friend while on a hunting trip. The implication from Beshear is that some of America's problems could be solved if the Vice-President would kill President Bush. I'm sure it was...

Christiane Amanpour interviewed former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, famous for her October 2000 meeting with North Korean dictator Kim "He’s Not a Nut" Jong Il, as part of her "Notes from North Korea" program, which aired on Saturday and Sunday evenings. During the segment, the CNN senior international correspondent failed to note how her husband, James Rubin, worked as spokesman and Assistant Secretary for State for Albright from 1997 until May 2000. Albright emphasized how "it's possible to have verifiable agreements" with the North Korean regime and how "negotiations need to be pursued actively." The Clinton administration that she...

DC Comics has just announced that it's sending its characters into the most terrifying parallel universe yet: the American political system. At a comic-con last week, the publisher's executive editor talked about its upcoming "DC Decisions" series, in which members of the DC universe will declare their partisan affiliations. "Everyone’s talking politics; it’s an elections year, and we’re going to try to see how the characters of our universe react to that," he said, which I think means that his writers have completely run out of material. So now that superheroes are going to start meddling in domestic politics, which...

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Virginia finds John McCain leading Barack Obama by just three percentage points, 47% to 44%. That’s a significant improvement for Obama after trailing the presumptive Republican nominee by eleven points a month ago. The current survey was conducted just two days after Obama’s strong performance in the North Carolina and Indiana Primaries. Following those primaries, Rasmussen Reports stated that the Democratic race is over and that Obama will be the nominee of his Party. Nationally, McCain and Obama are quite competitive in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll. In Virginia, McCain leads...

Prosecutor To Rezko Jury: "He Did It For Money"May 12, 2008 6:19 pm US/Central CHICAGO (CBS) ― Political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko's defense attorney ripped into the government's star witness against his client Monday, describing him as an admitted lifelong liar and swindler whose brain was all but rendered useless by three decades of abusing powerful narcotics. "He said he is a felon, he admitted he is a liar many times over, he said he is a thief, and I don't know if he said he was a drug addict, but he was a drug abuser," Joseph J. Duffy said...

Education - Portland Public Schools may add the book to the new social studies curriculum for eighth-graders Portland Public Schools is poised to adopt a new curriculum today, making the district the first in the state to use a textbook exploring Oregon's racial history. "This is not your traditional Oregon history kids may have learned in social studies class in fourth grade," said Marcia Arganbright, district director of curriculum and instruction. "Beyond the Oregon Trail: Oregon's Untold History" is one of four books recommended for eighth-grade social studies classes. Arganbright said the district did not seek out a curriculum that...

    ~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: NAS Brunswick, Maine Naval Air Station Brunswick is the last, active-duty Department of Defense airfield remaining in the northeast, and is home to four active duty and one reserve squadron. NAS Brunswick has a Reserve Fleet Logistics Support Squadron flying C-130 "Hercules" transports as well as Lockheed P-3 "Orion" long-range maritime patrol aircraft, tasked by Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five and its active duty squadrons.About 20 percent of NAS Brunswick's activities, facilities and services support the AEGIS destroyer shipbuilding program at nearby Bath Iron Works. The base also houses the Navy's...

The Hamas leader Ahmed Yousef did Barack Obama no favor recently when he said: “We like Mr. Obama and we hope that he will win the election.” John McCain jumped on this statement, calling it a “legitimate point of discussion,” and tied it to Obama’s putative softness on Iran, whose ever-charming president last week called Israel a “stinking corpse” and predicted its “annihilation.” The Hamas episode won’t help Obama’s attempts to win over Jewish voters, particularly those in such places as –- to pull an example from the air –- Palm Beach County, Florida, whose Jewish residents tend to appreciate...

Obama campaign seeking resumes TRIBUNE REVIEW By Salena Zito In search of a few good men and women, here's more proof that the Barack Obama campaign is entering a general election mode:

The BBC kept more than £100,000 viewers had pledged to charity for itself. Staff knowingly withheld money that should have gone to causes including Children in Need and Comic Relief. In another hammer blow to TV's reputation, the corporation has been ordered by its own ruling body, the BBC Trust, to apologise for the scandal on air. Last night it also faced accusations from charities that its behaviour was immoral and disgraceful. News of the racket came 24 hours after ITV was fined £5.7million for conning £8million from telephone voters to top-rated shows. It also emerged that a British Comedy...

West Virginia Democratic Primary Polls Open: 6:30 am ET Polls Close: 7:30 pm ET Delegates at Stake: 28 Barack Obama is in a commanding position to win the Democratic presidential nod. But he is the underdog in Tuesday's West Virginia primary. The state's gun-owning, church-going, and economically struggling small towns are ripe targets for Hillary Clinton, who has tended to outperform Obama with these groups. The former first couple has also put in more time on the ground than Obama. Sen. Clinton has held 14 events and former President Clinton has held 15. By contrast, Sen. Obama has only held...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Marine Corps far surpassed its recruiting goal last month and could eventually be more than a year ahead of schedule in its plan to grow the force to 202,000 members. All military services met or exceeded their monthly recruiting goals in April, with the Marine Corps signing 142 percent of the number it was looking for, the Pentagon said. The Army signed 101 percent of its goal, recruiting 5,681 against a goal of 5,650. The Navy and Air Force met their goals — 2,905 sailors and 2,435 airmen. The Marine Corps enlisted 2,233 recruits against a...

The West was poised for bad news from the May 11 parliamentary vote in Serbia, where often shrill nationalist tones dominated the final days of the campaign. Instead it got good news: the pro-European Democratic Party emerged victorious, defeating the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party and their allies. The Democrats, led by President Boris Tadic, won some 37% of the vote, or 103 out of 250 seats, which should enable Tadic to dominate Serbia's policies for the next several years. The Radicals came a distant second, with 77 seats, which works out at 29.1% while the Democratic Party of Serbia, led...

You are a infidel if you:Freedom of thought discussedToward the end an elderly gentlemen is arguing for Freedom of Though and says Democracy is a good thing...according to the translation....

STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION 450 N STREET, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA PO BOX 942879, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 94279-0086 916-327-8988 • FAX 916-324-2586 www.boe.ca.gov Mr. William H. Weissman Littler Mendelson, PC 650 California Street 20th Floor San Francisco, CA 94108 Dear Mr. Weissman: Your December 3, 2007 article “Why Is Buying Hot Chocolate So Confusing?” was referred to me for response since the Board of Equalization (Board) administers the Sales and Use Tax Law. In your article, you expressed concern regarding the proper application of the sales tax by various retailers with respect to sales of hot chocolate. According to your article, you purchased...

The Organization of Islamic Conference Member States Currently, the OIC has 57 member and 3 observer states Source: Organization of the Islamic Conference The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an international organization grouping fifty seven states which have decided to pool their resources together, combine their efforts, and speak with one voice to safeguard the interests and secure the progress and well-being of their peoples and of all Muslims in the world. A Map of Member States: Countries in red are member states; countries in yellow are observer states. State Year of Accession Afghanistan 1969 Albania 1992...

Following up on vows to bring spending in line with its shrinking revenues, The Seattle Times Co. sliced the staff at its flagship newspaper by 125 employees this week. Of the total, 73 were laid off and 52 left voluntarily, with 51 accepting buyout offers, spokeswoman Corey Digiacinto said. The Times announced a month ago that, to help save $15 million, it would freeze 60 unfilled positions and lay off up to 131 employees. Voluntary departures trimmed the number of layoffs needed by more than 40 percent, Digiacinto said. Before this week's cuts, The Times had 1,845 full-time and part-time...

May 12, 2008 By Debbie Schlussel Although Hezbollah has retreated--by its own choice (and it could easily return and retake)--from Beirut, the Iranian/Syrian-backed, Lebanese terrorist group is fighting in the surrounding hills. My exclusive Lebanese Intelligence sources tell me that a number of Hezbollah terrorist fighters have been caught, over the weekend, and they cannot speak Arabic, only Farsi. They are Iranian and have identified themselves or been identified by third parties as members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This is the same group that, under Khomeini, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and kept U.S. civilians hostage for...

New polls Monday predicted landslide wins for Hillary Clinton in two looming primaries, despite pressure for her to cede to Barack Obama's mathematical stranglehold on the Democratic White House race. The former first lady, who is vowing to battle on even as Obama turns his sights on Republican presumptive nominee John McCain, led her foe by 36 points in the latest poll out of West Virginia, which votes Tuesday. In Kentucky, which holds its primary on May 20, Clinton was up 58 to 31 percent, in another poll suggesting Obama faces an uncomfortable two weeks. Huge wins for Clinton in...

PRICK FINGER. Test blood. Inject insulin. For millions of people around the world, this painful and tedious cycle is all that stands between relative health and the ravages of diabetes, a disease known to cause blindness, kidney failure, and death. Joseph P. Kennedy hopes that a specially coated metal tube, no larger than a cigarette, will someday put an end to all that.

Strategy for Victory in Iraq Bolster Troops on the Ground A greater military commitment now is necessary if we are to achieve long-term success in Iraq. John McCain agrees with retired Army General Jack Keane that there are simply not enough American forces in Iraq. More troops are necessary to clear and hold insurgent strongholds; to provide security for rebuilding local institutions and economies; to halt sectarian violence in Baghdad and disarm Sunni and Shia militias; to dismantle al Qaeda; to train the Iraqi Army; and to embed American personnel in Iraqi police units. Accomplishing each of these goals...

Like everything in life the surrender of the Mahdi Army to the Iraq rule of law, as defined and imposed by the duly elected government under Prime Minister Maliki, is not cut and dry - or instant. It seems the final form of the agreement was just signed by representatives from each Shiite camp - which means any side that violates the agreement will be shown to be inept, at best. The deal was officially signed Monday between five representatives of firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and four member of the main Shiite political bloc.Khalid al-Attiyah, the deputy parliamentary speaker, says...

The sniper never knew what hit him. The Marines patrolling the street below were taking fire, but did not have a clear shot at the third-story window that the sniper was shooting from. They were pinned down and called for reinforcements. Help came from a Predator drone circling the skies 20 miles away. As the unmanned plane closed in, the infrared camera underneath its nose picked up the muzzle flashes from the window. The sniper was still firing when the Predator's 100-pound Hellfire missile came through the window and eliminated the threat. The airman who fired that missile was 8,000...

A House committee postponed action Monday on a 10-year phaseout of the state income tax. The House Ways and Means Committee had been scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 87, which would eliminate the state income tax by 2017 at an eventual cost to the treasury of about $4 billion a year. But some legislators want to bring the bill by Sen. D.L. "Buddy" Shaw, R-Shreveport, back to its original posture when it would have rolled back the 2002 "Stelly Plan" tax increases. "There is no rush necessarily to have this bill heard today," Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge, the...

It was more an embarrassment than a ship. Nearly 20 years old, its single tall funnel poked out above dilapidated decks and scarred paintwork. It was heading for the breaker’s yard until the Haganah, the Jewish underground, bought it. Now, loaded with more than 4,500 Jewish refugees, many of them Holocaust survivors, it was approaching the Palestinian port of Haifa and its moment of destiny. Its commander that July day in 1947 was Yossi Harel, who has died at 90. The ship was the USS President Warfield but Harel had renamed it Exodus 1947. Nearing Haifa it was pursued by...