Free Republic

The Texas Supreme Court gave Friday the Houston city council 30 days either to repeal a civil-rights ordinance allowing opposite-sex bathroom use or place it before the voters on the November ballot. The 12-page decision says that the council ran afoul of the city charter when it refused to act after the city secretary certified a year ago the signatures submitted by a pastor-led coalition, which had moved to force a vote on the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). Houston Mayor Annise Parker came under fire last year after the city moved to subpoena sermons and other documents from five...

In the largest anti-abortion protest held in Houston in years, several thousand people on Monday marched, prayed and kept silent.....to convey their opposition to what they called an “abortion super center” that Planned Parenthood will open in a six-story building on the Gulf Freeway in March.After the protesters had walked silently through the Third Ward and encircled the sidewalks of the new six-acre facility,organizer Lou Engle used the Martin Luther King holiday to accuse Planned Parenthood of locating the new facility in a predominantly Hispanic and black area to target minorities for abortion services.“Planned Parenthood is devaluing minorities. The organization...

A liquor store clerk was attacked by a robbery suspect with a gun.  The victim fought back.  The fight ended up outside the store, where the clerk was able to get control of the gun and shoot the robber.  The suspect later died. This is the third robber who was shot and killed in Houston in the past few days.  Two others were shot and killed at a Super K by Diem Tu, as they pistol whipped his brother in law, Brian. Video report here ©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.Link...

A reporter covered the defensive shooting in Houston, where marksman, clerk, and brother of the owner, Dien Tu, shot and killed two of three armed robbers.  The robbers were attempting to rob the store and had pistol whipped his brother in law, Brian.   The reporter at khou.com gives this advice: Police advise clerks in this situation to give in to the demands of robber. It is not clear if this is actual advice from police in the area, or vaguely remembered propaganda by the reporter.  The store owner sees things a little differently, as reported in the next sentence:...

Krugman is for a single-payer health care system and argues that socialist health care systems provide better health outcomes at cheaper cost around the world. My response was that third-party payer systems in education and health care are what's driving up costs and that health care premiums paid by families are rising way faster than Obama predicted. Where are the $2,500 in family savings? Medicare is apparently the glittering success story of government, yet it's running unfunded liabilities in the tens of trillions of dollars. Krugman was lamest in explaining the migration of a thousand people a day from blue...

Over 37.3 trillion gallons of water fell in Texas this past spring after heavy precipitation resulted in substantial flooding. While years of drought were literally washed away, the state experienced significant consequences of the flooding, including 21 deaths according to a report by NPR. The recent weather patterns exposed vital shortcomings in the state’s flood control infrastructure, which brings into question the appropriateness and level of investment in the state’s flood prevention infrastructure, the network of systems needed to protect the lives and property of citizens of the state. The rain Texas received during the single month of May broke...

HOUSTON, TX – A new song by two of Houston’s own cranks out the bass, all while beating down boundaries. The unlikely duo of gangster rapper Slim Thug, and preacher Joel Osteen is breaking the internet as much for their pairing, as for their musical message. Slim, a member of Osteen’s Lakewood Church for many years, used clips of the pastor on “Chuuch”, a song on the rappers latest release “Hogg Life Volume 2″. And while mixing religion and rap might not be the norm, for many the sermon and the song are a perfect fit. The message of the...

Indomitable Donald Trump, the pompously outspoken American business mogul, investor, and television personality who recently announced his bid for the 2016 presidential race candidate has finally met his waterloo, and it was not about Barack Obama. His bigmouth has finally landed him in a provocative political terrain – trouncing a presidential ambition that has only been announced. Trump, a Republican presidential entrant was announcing his readiness last month when he made some horrible remarks about Mexicans. His comments were obviously offensive. He said in part that “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that...

Joel Osteen, the popular 52-year-old leader of America's largest protestant church, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, bluntly revealed that the reason why he avoids speaking out on hot button social and political issues, such as same-sex marriage, is because he believes that's not what he's called to do as a pastor. In a recent interview on WBUR's "Here & Now" radio program Osteen, who was asked if he felt these hot button social and political issues are important, said: "I think they are important but I think everybody has their own calling." He further explained that "It's not what I'm...

A road raging Muslim recently got a taste of Texas hospitality after spouting off at another driver. The incident took place in Houston, Texas, where two drivers reportedly became entangled in a verbal altercation over who had the right of way. For reasons still under investigation, 42-year-old Ziad Abu Naim – the Muslim — got out of his car “swinging” and approached the car of Robert Craig Klimek, 43. However, the chaos quickly ended as onlookers noted hearing a single pop. As it turns out, Klimek had shot Naim in the face, fully neutralizing the threat. Emergency services took the...

Fresh off their biggest legal victory, gay rights supporters began to expand their efforts beyond same-sex marriage to a broad push to rewrite civil rights law and extend protections to other personal and financial actions. A liberal coalition spanning gay rights groups and traditional African-American leaders turned its attention to a new legislative bid to outlaw discrimination against homosexuals in employment, housing, financial dealings and other regular actions not protected under the Supreme Court's ruling declaring same-sex marriage a constitutional right. "You can be married on Saturday, post your pictures on Instagram on Sunday and fired from your job on...

President Barack Obama hosted two radical anti-Israel activists, Riham Osman and Batoul Abuharb of Houston, Texas, on Tuesday night. They both had the honor of sitting at Mr. Obama’s exclusive “President’s Table” at the annual White House Iftar dinner. Both have publicly stated that they consider Israel and its leadership to be sponsors of terroristic acts.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston attorney on the National Rifle Association's board of directors is blaming the deadly Charleston church shooting on one of the victims, saying the slain pastor had opposed concealed carry legislation as a state senator that could have saved him and his fellow worshippers. Related Stories 1. NRA executive suggests slain Charleston pastor to blame for gun deaths Reuters 2. Slain Pastor Clementa Pinckney’s Mission Suited His Storied Church The Wall Street Journal 3. And The First Person To Blame The Charleston Shooting On A Lack Of Guns In Church Is... Huffington Post 4. White gunman...

The restaurant, named Tallywackers, hires attractive men and serves comfort food including steaks, pizzas, pasta, and hot dogs. Tallywackers says their restaurant is a “bar, restaurant and entertainment destination for everyone. There is eye-candy — for boys and girls — great food and a really good time.” Just as the “Hooters” name is a play on a euphemism for women’s breasts, “Tallywackers” is a not-so-subtle nod to men’s genitals. Owner Rodney Duke told the hosts of the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show last month that “he has pondered for 10 years why there wasn’t a male equivalent of this type of...

OAKLAND — What's one more week compared to a 40-year championship drought? What's one more week when it means a shot at the first title in franchise history? The Warriors eliminated the Rockets with a 104–90 victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, advancing to an NBA Finals date with the Cavaliers. This is a matchup worth waiting for, and a little patience will be required. Because both Golden State and Cleveland made quick work of their conference finals foes, the NBA will hit the pause button for a full week before the championship series opens...

The Age Of Disinformation I have been a professional meteorologist for 36 years. Since my debut on television in 1979, I have been an eyewitness to the many changes in technology, society, and how we communicate. I am one who embraces change, and celebrates the higher quality of life we enjoy now thanks to this progress. But, at the same time, I realize the instant communication platforms we enjoy now do have some negatives that are troubling. Just a few examples in recent days…

Bill Nye, who once called himself “the science guy,” took advantage of the torrential rains that hit Houston and the surrounding area to get up on the global warming – aka climate change – hobby horse. Tuesday, he tweeted, “Billion$$ in damage in Texas & Oklahoma. Still no weather-caster may utter the phrase Climate Change.” Of course meteorologists, unlike Nye, have spent their careers studying weather and its underlining causes. For a more scientifically accurate explanation of what caused the storms, read the Houston Chronicle’s excellent and fact based analysis.

Well thank goodness for the Qatar Foundation International in reaching half way across the globe to get this Arabic Immersion Magnet school staffed and financed for the 2015 rollout! As you can see for yourself via e-mail communications the 75K strong Arabic Community in HOUSTON was not quite enough after all. Principal Kate Adams pushed for every immigration and certification loophole in concert with the HISD Specialist Team to bring in the Arabic Speaking crew. MONOLINGUAL AMERICANS in the community need not apply, nay, not even for PE teacher. Your tax dollars are accepted though. Scroll down to view the...

HOUSTON - Two armed robbers tried to steal wallets and a purse from a man and woman as they got out of their car Tuesday night in the Briar Village neighborhood near Highway 6 and Westheimer Road. They had just pulled into their driveway after dinner when the two armed and masked men came up. One of the suspects put a gun to the homeowner's neck and demanded he hand over his wallet. "They wanted his valuables and he resisted," said Richard King, who lives two houses away. King heard the commotion and came outside. "I heard some muffled gun...

HOUSTON - It's the middle of the night and your house is being invaded by armed men with guns who plan to take you hostage and take what they want. What are you going to do now? What you decide to do in the next 15 minutes could save your life and the lives of your loved ones, or end in tragedy and death. A special team of security experts with decades of experience -- Jim Napolitano, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, and Col. Bernie McCabe, former member of United States Special Operations -- is going to teach you...