Free Republic

Six months on from their election defeat, nobody is quite sure who leads the Republican Party. Across the Atlantic, British Conservatives have no doubt who is in charge. David Cameron has turned what should be an embarrassing scandal involving MPs’ expenses into another opportunity to demonstrate his ruthlessness, boldness, and single-minded determination to gain power. A recent poll suggests that he is on course not only to beat the ruling Labour Party – but to push them into third place. Cameron’s party should be deeply implicated in the ongoing controversy that has already ended the careers of over a dozen...

Much has been written about the Insight, Honda’s new low-priced hybrid. We’ve been told how much carbon dioxide it produces, how its dashboard encourages frugal driving by glowing green when you’re easy on the throttle and how it is the dawn of all things. The beginning of days. So far, though, you have not been told what it’s like as a car; as a tool for moving you, your friends and your things from place to place. So here goes. It’s terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing...

"Most Terror Suspects Freed Without Charge, British Gov’t Says" Thursday, May 14, 2009 By David Stringer, Associated Press London (AP) – SNIPPET: "Britain's Home Office said 1,471 people were arrested as suspected terrorists between September 2001 and March 2008, the first time it has compiled data on the often controversial arrests. Of those, fewer than 200 have been convicted as a terrorists..."

The Vatican has opened its secret archives, the repository of centuries worth of documents pertaining to the Holy See, to let the world get a closer look at a document presaging England’s split from the Church of Rome. Dated July 13, 1530, and addressed to Pope Clement VII, the letter, right, asks for the annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and includes the seals of dozens of peers of England who concurred with the request.

Aaqil Ahmed, the innovative and interesting programmer responsible for Channel 4's recent Christianity: A History series, has been appointed the first Muslim head of religion at the BBC, as we report today. The Church of England could have been a little warmer in its welcome. The Bishop of Manchester, the Right Rev Nigel McCulloch, said: 'The Church of England takes a close interest in the way Christianity, and other faiths, are portrayed by the BBC across all its programming. We are also interested in its specifically religious output, in light of this country's Judeo-Christian heritage. It is the quality and...

Middle-class children are more likely to be clever than those from poorer families because they have 'better genes', former Ofsted chief Chris Woodhead said yesterday. The comments caused an immediate storm, with critics calling them insulting and 'crazy'. However, Mr Woodhead won support in some quarters - including the backing of an evolutionary psychologist, who said research had shown there was a link between class and average IQ. Mr Woodhead called for a return to selection by ability at 11. He suggested that grammar school pupils were more likely to be middle-class because 'the genes are likely to be better...

Note: The following text is a quote: May 8, 2009 UK bans cross-shaped medal as offensive to Muslims and Hindus When in Muslim countries, non-Muslims must conform their behavior to Muslim sensibilities. In non-Muslim countries, non-Muslims must conform their behavior to Muslim sensibilities. Got it? It is a pity that the prevailing multiculturalist fog is such that the Hindus joined this initiative. They may ultimately find their allies in this struggle turning on them. Cultural Abdication Alert from Absurd Britannia: "Queen's medal of honour scrapped... because it's too Christian for Muslims and Hindus," from the Daily Mail, May 8 (thanks...

Researchers are trying to make a bulletproof turban that would allow Sikhs in British police to join firearms units. As Sikhs aren't allowed to wear any protective headgear over the turban so the UK prohibits them from becoming firearms officer. But now, scientists are developing the sturdy turbans made from Kevlar-like material to act as a shield, British newspapers reported on Thursday. Inspector Gian Singh Chahal, from Kent Police and vice-chairman of the British Police Sikh Association, said on Thursday: "Sikh officers have been prohibited from becoming firearms officers because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban....

It appears as if another country is afraid of Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders because of his outspoken views about Islam and his film Fitna, which intersperses excerpts from the Koran with depictions of Islamic violence. Following the lead of Great Britain, Denmark has postponed a conference on free speech to which Wilders was invited by the Danish People’s Party. The conference was scheduled for February, then delayed until June, the Copenhagen Post reports. “But now, according to information received by Berlingske Tidende newspaper, the conference has been delayed again because of government’s concern over Geert Wilders.” The Danish Foreign Ministry...

Savage's colleagues react in horror 'Thank God we broke away from that cowardly country' WASHINGTON – Michael Savage's talk-radio colleagues and competitors reacted in horror today to news that the No. 3 host in the U.S. was banned from entering the United Kingdom "As a host who witnessed first hand the hate speech not only tolerated but encouraged by the U.K., I am appalled and amused at the suggestion that Michael Savage is banned from the U.K. for his speech," said Rusty Humphries of Talk Radio Network. "Thank God we broke away from that cowardly country." Lars Larson, a Pacific...

Everyone wants to be immortal. Few are. Margaret Thatcher is. Why? Because her values are timeless, eternal. Tap anyone on the shoulder anywhere in the world, and ask what Mrs Thatcher believed in, and they will tell you. They can give a clear answer to what she “stood for”. How did she do it? Lady Thatcher knew that in politics, as in law, the jury seeks motive and intent. This is why she told Philip Larkin that her favourite line of his poetry was: “Your mind lay open like a drawer of knives.”On the day of her election victory,...

      May 1, 2009 A Tribute to Margaret Thatcher--30 Years On  by Robin Harris, D. Phil. WebMemo #2419 Thirty years ago, Britain embarked upon a conservative revolution that not only transformed the country but left an indelible and unmistakable impact on the rest of the world. Only two British Prime Ministers--Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher--have by force of personality and power of example done anything like this.In The Gathering Storm, Winston Churchill wrote of his initial thoughts after his election as Prime Minister in May 1940: As I went to bed at about 3 a.m., I was...

Levelling the field: deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman hopes the proposals will promote diversity Harman wants employers to discriminate and choose the best woman for the jobNicholas Cecil 27.04.09 Men applying for jobs could lose out to equally qualified women under reforms proposed by Harriet Harman today.Labour's deputy leader unveiled the Equalities Bill which will allow companies to choose female candidates ahead of equally qualified men because they are women.The "positive" discrimination move is likely to be welcomed by some people but will also spark concerns that men could miss out unfairly on jobs.However, Commons Leader and equalities minister...

A veteran soldier who became trapped in a ravine for two days after a 250ft fall has survived, thanks to skills learnt 65 years ago during World War II. Great-grandfather Daniel Currie broke his elbow and shoulder after slipping during a walk at Fiddler's Elbow, near Abercynonon in Wales on Good Friday.Unable to move, and without food or water, Mr Currie protected himself using survival skills learnt while serving in the Army 65 years ago.The 87-year-old covered himself with leaves as temperatures plummeted to 3C overnight, and cleared surrounding undergrowth in order to make himself more visible to rescuers.Speaking...

London suffering from shocking rise in rare 'Victorian' diseasesJoe Murphy, Political Editor 15.04.09   London is in the grip of a startling rise in diseases associated with Victorian times, figures disclose today.Rare infectious illnesses including typhoid, whooping cough and scarlet fever have soared by 166 per cent in the past two years.Infection rates in the capital are markedly higher than the national averages, warned Justine Greening, the shadow minister for London who assembled the figures.They include a staggering 214 per cent increase in cases of mumps - up from 125 in 2007 to 393 last year. The disease is...

Mark Steyn tell this story: An elderly Jewish friend from London was at a gathering recently, and said someone asked: “Politically speaking, who are our friends?” Nobody had an answer, and the consensus was that Britain’s Jewish community felt lonelier than within living memory. ..... 1936, when Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists, in a crude act of political intimidation, determined to march through the heart of the Jewish East End. They were turned back by a mob of local Jews, Irish Catholic dockers, Commie agitators et al all standing under the Spanish Civil War slogan, "No pasaran": They...

A majority of Roman Catholic adoption agencies have cut their ties with the Church rather than defy gay equality laws. Five agencies have declared themselves independent - and some have changed their names - to comply with laws that say they must allow homosexual couples to adopt children.The retreat ends decades in which the adoption charities have worked in the name of the Catholic Church with support from dioceses, clergy and congregations.The decision to end the formal connection with the Church follows a deadline set by the Government for charities to comply with the 2007 Sexual Orientation Regulations. These...

After being shot, Sami Yousafzai fled Pakistan for London, thinking he was escaping Islamic extremism. He was shocked by the menacing support for the Taliban he found here. I still don’t know who wanted me dead. I’d been sitting in my car one day last November, not far from my house in the northwest Pakistan city of Peshawar, when a group of strangers walked up. One of them pointed a pistol through my window. I remember that he wore a turban and shalwar kameez – the tunic and baggy pants common in the area – and that he had a...

Dramatic daylight terror raids on a university may have been linked to a plot to blow up a shopping centre or nightclub, police fear. Students at Liverpool John Moores University watched in shock yesterday as two men were hauled outside and forced to the ground by armed police.  Witnesses said the duo  -  students at the university's Business School  -  were wearing combat trousers and hiking jackets, and claimed there were rumours of 'a bomb' on the premises.  (edit) The raid was one of a series carried out simultaneously across the North-West in which 12 suspects believed to be...

'Al Capone' gun gang banged up   Caged ... gang boss Colin Joyce and Lee Amos    By GUY PATRICK Published: Today       GANGSTERS applauded in court yesterday as a judge compared their murderous boss to Al Capone — and jailed him for 39 years.   Arsenal ... gang's gun haul Cavendish Press  Double killer Colin Joyce, 29, headed a violent drug mob who executed rival hoods and tortured street dealers who dared to cross them. But he smirked as Mr Justice Brian Langstaff told him: “You were involved in gang-related activity which is all too reminiscent...

The chief problem facing British businesses is the maze of oppressive government regulation New Labour has signed into law. These laws particularly affect conditions of employment--the right to hire and fire; safety and health in the workplace; maternity leave, which now applies to men as well as women; and countless other aspects of work. According to one calculation, New Labour has created more than 20,000 new offenses, most of which apply to industry and commerce. It has also created 1.25 million public-sector jobs, mainly in inspectorates and in supervisory positions to ensure that companies observe the new regulations or, if...

G20 summit protesters have forced their way inside a Royal Bank of Scotland office in the City amid violent clashes with police as world leaders gather in London. Anarchists smashed windows of the building on Threadneedle Street near the Bank of England and looted office equipment and papers, throwing smoke grenades, chairs and eggs. A printer was seen being thrown out of a window as the group of protesters, many with their faces covered by bandanas, ransacked the office, despite a huge security operation to protect Europe's financial capital. Riot police have been deployed near the scene but the protesters...

Gordon Brown’s efforts to broker an £80billion bailout for world trade on a trip to Brazil hit a stumbling block tonight when the country’s President lashed out at ‘white, blue-eyed’ bankers for bringing the world economy to its knees.   Mr Brown watched on uneasily as his host, President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, launched a bizarre tirade in which he warned that next week’s G20 summit in London would be a ‘spicy’ affair.  President Lula said it was completely unfair that the poorest people in the world were suffering most for the mistakes of wealthy, Western financiers.  ...

London Mayor Boris Johnson is to defy the politically correct brigade by staging a week-long festival in the capital to celebrate St George’s Day, with the red and white cross of England’s patron saint flying proudly from his City Hall offices. The move follows a series of incidents in recent years in which people have been banned from displaying the English flag on the grounds that it is racist and could offend Muslims because of St George’s association with the Crusades.But Mr Johnson believes such arguments are unjustified and plans a series of events around St George’s Day on...

Hospital scandal: missed warnings The shocking extent of the failures at an NHS hospital where hundreds of patients died unnecessarily can be disclosed today. Senior managers at Stafford Hospital were told repeatedly that the standard of care they were delivering was not good enough but each time the warnings were ignored. The disclosures follow the publication last week of a damning report by the NHS regulator, the Healthcare Commission, that found that hundreds of patients died at the hospital because of the “appalling” treatment they received. Related Children's lives put at risk by poor care at specialist hospital NHS targets...

A headmistress who was hounded out of her job after being falsely accused of racism was yesterday awarded more than £400,000 in compensation. Erica Connor had run a 'happy and successful' primary school but was driven to a breakdown by the allegations. The Daily Mail can reveal the school's troubles started when a local mosque decided to pack the governing body with Muslims. Paul Martin - a Muslim convert - and Mumtaz Saleem began monopolising meetings with the aim of turning New Monument in Woking into an Islamic faith school. (edit) But when Mrs Connor resisted the new governors'...

Asian postmaster takes immigration stand by banning customers who can't speak English By Daily Mail Reporter 18th March 2009 An Asian postmaster has provoked the ire of race equality campaigners by banning customers from his branch who cannot speak English. Deva Kumarasiri claims all immigrants in Britain should learn the language so they can communicate properly with others here and embrace British culture. 'If you come to Britain you have got to speak English,' said the father-of-two, who moved here himself 18 years ago. 'I am from a different country but when I came here I became British. My job...

excerpt: [photo] a Christian minister in London because they didn’t like his gospel television show. “If you go back to the studio,” they threatened, “we’ll break your legs.” The Reverend Noble Samuel said, “(The first man) started slapping my face and punching my neck. He was trying to smash my head on the steering wheel. Then he grabbed my......

London (PTI): Pope Benedict XVI will undertake what would be the first papal visit to Britain in 30 years and the second by any pontiff since King Henry VIII broke with the Vatican to establish Church of England, according to sources. However, details of the papal visit are still under discussion, but some cities being considered include London, Birmingham, Oxford, Edinburgh, Armagh and Dublin, 'The Daily Telegraph' quoted the unnamed sources as saying. And, a senior cardinal is due to make a private trip to Britain in the summer to make preparations for the Pope's visit, which could be announced...

Was it a snub or not? Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s recent visit to America’s new president turned out to be far less than he’d obviously hoped for. At the conclusion of his visit, observing that American press coverage had been particularly poor, the Mail Online stated that “abc News gave Mr. Brown less prominence today than it did a story about a sleepwalking dog that walked into a wall” (March 5). A series of events (or lack of them) underpinned the degree to which the Obama administration has changed the official government view of the “special relationship” that has...

Parents who pulled their children out of school in protest at lessons about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history fear they will be prosecuted after education bosses pledged to take 'action' against them. Some 30 primary pupils are thought to have missed school during the week of special lessons which included secondary school pupils performing Romeo and Julian, an adapted version of the Shakespearian classic love story. Council bosses said the protest resulted in 'unauthorised absences' and had 'taken action' against parents who pulled their youngsters out of George Tomlinson School in Leytonstone, east London, but refused to state what...

Ethnic minorities could receive extra help during the recession following Government fears they will be hardest hit as the economy deteriorates.Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell announced a controversial drive to ensure ethnic minority workers are not  'left behind'.He warned that employment levels amongst ethnic minorities fell by ten percentage points in the 1990s recession, more than other groups.Mr Purnell, announcing the initiative in a speech to Labour's Black Asian and Minority Ethnic annual general meeting in Leicester, said it was vital to ensure the mistakes of previous recessions were not repeated.'In the past too many were left behind...

Note: The following text is a quote: http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0902/090226tampa.htm February 26, 2009 Money launderer, caught in Colombia, pleads guilty in federal court in Tampa TAMPA, Fla. - A 44-year-old man who attempted to fraudulently obtain more than $2.5 million pleaded guilty to money laundering related charges in federal court here today after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Colombian Department of Administrative Security (DAS) joint investigation. Michael D. Reid. a citizen and national of Canada and Great Britain, who was extradited to the United States from Colombia, pleaded guilty...

A former FBI special agent told law enforcement and Homeland Security personnel that a network of Islamic organizations are working to incrementally implement Islamic law in the United States. During a presentation at the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, former FBI agent John Guandolo briefed members about groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which he claims is working with other Islamic groups to slowly implement Shariah, also known as Islamic law, which encompasses all areas of life. Guandolo worked in the FBI since 1996, including nine years as a member of its SWAT team. After 9/11, he worked in the...

The entire crew of a South African Airways flight have been arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling - for the second time in a month. Fifteen members of the flight crew, including the pilot, were detained today at London's Heathrow after customs officers found five kilos of cocaine in a bag.  They were being held by officers after the class A drug, with an estimated street value of £250,000, was discovered as the crew tried to clear customs following a 12-hour flight from Johannesburg. Bob Gaiger, spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs, said the drugs were discovered after the...

Station calls time on kissingDean Kirby February 16, 2009 RAIL stations and romantic farewells go hand-in-hand. Tearful clinches as the train prepares to leave - immortalised by Trevord Howard and Celia Johnson in the classic film Brief Encounter - have always pulled at the heart-strings. But not at Warrington Bank Quay Station, it seems. A No Kissing sign has been put up at after concern that commuters were being delayed by passionate embraces. It is now prohibited to do nothing more than shake hands at the station taxi rank. If lovers insist on puckering-up, they now have to go...

  Dedicated: Nurse Debbie Noble, right, walked to treat kidney patient Steph Crawford  Nurse walked nine miles in the snow to save my lifeAnna Davis 13.02.09   A nurse walked nine miles through deep snow two days in a row to save the life of a patient who required kidney dialysis and was trapped at home.Renal nurse Debbie Noble, 49, made the four-hour round trip to help Steph Crawford fearing she could die without the treatment.Mrs Crawford, 45, from Ewell, suffers from kidney failure. She could not drive to her usual dialysis centre in Kingston, and ambulances could not...

  Panned over pork takeaway   Halal of an idea ... Domino's pizza    By ANDREW PARKER Published: Today     TAKEAWAY giant Domino's has pizza-ed off customers by taking pork off the menu and serving only HALAL meat. The group have opened the first halal-only pizza store in the country, catering to the needs of Muslim customers in the mixed race area of Hall Green, Birmingham. The controversial menu change means Brummie pizza lovers hoping to tuck into classic pizzas like a Hawaiian with ham and pineapple will be disappointed. Instead, they will have to travel over two...

A foster mother has been struck off the register for allowing a Muslim girl in her care to convert to Christianity.  The woman, who has looked after more than 80 children in the past ten years, is considering suing the council over the decision.  Although she is a practising Anglican, she said she had put no pressure on the girl who was baptised last year at the age of 16.She said social workers had also raised no objections to her own attendance at church.  But officials insist she failed in her duty to preserve the girl's religion and should...

There was never going to be a good time. But when the truth finally emerged, it couldn’t have been at a more inopportune moment. Mark Webb was driving to work at eight in the morning when his wife Lydia rang.   ‘I was in the fast lane of the M4 heading towards Reading,’ he recalls. ‘I picked up the call on the hands-free and said, “Hi, what’s the problem?” because Lydia wouldn’t normally call so early.  She said, “I’ve got something I need to tell you. You’re not the father of Elspeth. Dave Mottram is.” ’It was a shattering...

New laws designed to tackle extreme and child pornography could make owning mainstream comics like Batman or Judge Dredd illegal, campaigners claim. They are protesting against two pieces of legislation. The first, the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act, comes into force later this month. It will make possessing "extreme pornography" - defined as any "extreme image" produced "solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal" - illegal. The Government defines an "extreme image" as any "grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise ... obscene" moving or still depiction of someone any "reasonable person" would think real being sexually injured or engaging...

The television licence enforcers were nothing if not persistent. For five years they pursued 69-year-old Hannah Patricia Humphris with a succession of intimidating missives demanding she buy a licence.   The pursuit culminated with a letter this month threatening her with prosecution and a possible £1,000 fine.  But the TV licensing police had overlooked one crucial fact: Miss Humphris hasn't owned a television since 1978.    Hannah Patricia Humphris doesn't own a television, but is still being pursued by the TV Licencing AuthorityShe got rid of her set that year because it wasn't working properly and, she said, there...

Man refuses to drive 'No God' bus Buses carrying the slogans are operating around the UK A Christian bus driver has refused to drive a bus with an atheist slogan proclaiming "There's probably no God". Ron Heather, from Southampton, Hampshire, responded with "shock" and "horror" at the message and walked out of his shift on Saturday in protest. First Bus said it would do everything in its power to ensure Mr Heather does not have to drive the buses. Buses across Britain started displaying atheist messages in an advertising campaign launched earlier this month. Mr Heather told BBC Radio Solent:...

Council staff get time off for boob jobsBrian Lashley 15/ 1/2009  A TOWN hall has been criticised after offering staff unpaid leave to have boob jobs. Tameside council acted after a string of workers came forward demanding so-called 'life-choice procedures', such as breast enhancement and liposuction. Where procedures are for purely cosmetic reasons, managers will be told to 'explore' a number of options - including offering unpaid leave on top of existing holiday allowances. Previously, staff had to take time out of their annual leave unless they had a note from a doctor. The new policy is intended to...

Every household in the country will be guaranteed access to broadband internet, according to a draft report by Lord Carter on the future of the telecoms and media industries.Lord Carter, the communications minister, will propose a "universal service commitment" to broadband - akin to the guarantee offered on postal services and fixed-line telephones - that by 2012 would provide minimum download speeds of 2 megabits per second to every household that wants it, according to people who have seen a draft of his report, entitled Digital Britain. Such speeds enable people to watch video online, including the BBC iPlayer.The...

To the cheers of social scientists, Britain has been named the most promiscuous major industrial nation based on the "international sociosexuality index," which measures attitudes toward one-night stands, casual sex and numbers of partners. (The United States finished sixth.) Researchers say Britain's ranking is empowering for women because it means they now are as able as men to engage in no-strings sex. "Historically we have repressed women's short-term mating and there are all sorts of double standards out there where men's short-term mating was sort of acceptable but women's wasn't," said lead researcher David Schmitt, a psychology professor at Bradley...

Householders are to be visited by officials offering advice on cooking with leftovers, in a Government initiative to reduce the amount of food that gets thrown away. Home cooks will also be told what size portions to prepare, taught to understand "best before" dates and urged to make more use of their freezers. The door-to-door campaign, which starts tomorrow, will be funded by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), a Government agency charged with reducing household waste. The officials will be called "food champions". However, they were dismissed last night as "food police" by critics who called the scheme...

As her special adviser in Downing Street, he played a vital role in two of the most important episodes of her premiership. In 1981 he was brought back from academia to stiffen her resolve in pushing though a budget that cut public spending during a recession, the decisive break with the Keynesian past.

Skillfully crafted from tin cans, matchsticks and off cuts, one can only imagine the satisfaction a prisoner of war derived from finishing this stunning model aircraft as he languished in Stalag Luft III. Constructed almost perfectly to scale, his detailed version of a Lancaster Bomber like the one he flew before his capture even bears what appears to be the skull and crossbones logo of RAF 100 Squadron, famous for its night-time raids.Little is known about its maker, other than that he was an airman named E Taylor.     The model was found during a clearance sale at house...

EXCLUSIVE Brits fight off deadly pirates                      By DAVID WILLETTS Published: Today       A TEAM of hero Brits battled back deadly pirates four times in 24 hours armed only with Molotov cocktails and flare guns, The Sun can reveal. The three-man ex-military security team were hired to protect cargo ship S. Venus in the pirate infested waters of the Gulf of Aden off the Africa coast. On four separate occasions between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Somali pirates – armed with AK-47s and rocket propelled grenades (RPG) – tried...