Free Republic

It's been a long time coming. While Arthur C. Clarke's satellites have taken to space, and James Bond's futuristic mobile technology has become common place, still the dream of sustained personal flight has eluded us. But the future is here! Finally we can all take flight as Martin Aircraft in New Zealand releases the first commercially-available jet pack! A bit of history... Like many science fiction concepts, the jetpack design has become firmly entrenched in the collective psyche: ask anyone to draw you a jetpack and they will give you a man with two fiery pods strapped to his back...

When rubber must meet road, the GOP is as clear as the mud in a Louisiana swamp. Oh, they talk a good game; but, in the end, they act no different than the Democrats. Somewhere in Washington D.C. there must exist a vast graveyard of detached spines... since I have yet to encounter a sitting Republican who is still in possession of his, and the Democrats never had one to begin with … except when it comes to screwing the American people – then they are indefatigable juggernauts, while the Republicans practice their knitting. The GOP is infested by a...

With the explosion of opinionated blogs on the web, and any of a number of sites that will give anyone a chance to blog for free, I was wondering how many Freepers have a blog. If you have one, would you mind sharing your URL address and a little blurb about the theme of your blog. Many here know that I have two blogs, one for my political beliefs and one for my religious beliefs. For me I use the political one as a repository for the articles I write for my local news paper, the Enterprise Record. My religious...

Sen. Max Baucus' office Monday denounced a widely viewed Internet video that suggested Baucus was drunk on the Senate floor last week, calling it an "untrue, personal smear" designed to attack Democrats' health-care reform legislation. "This is beyond the pale, and this type of gutter politics has no place in the public sphere," said Baucus spokesman Ty Matsdorf.

Everyone in Britain should have an annual carbon ration and be penalised if they use too much fuel, the head of the Environment Agency will say. Lord Smith of Finsbury believes that implementing individual carbon allowances for every person will be the most effective way of meeting the targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It would involve people being issued with a unique number which they would hand over when purchasing products that contribute to their carbon footprint, such as fuel, airline tickets and electricity. If their "carbon account" hits zero, they would have to pay to get more credits....

THE Anglican Archbishop of Perth has cautioned disgruntled Anglicans not to join the Catholic Church in anger and haste. Rogert Herft said the Vatican's offer to receive Anglicans would provide a "helpful way for those who wished to join the Roman Catholic Church to do so on similar terms to many Roman Catholics".

WILMINGTON, Del. - Consumer bankruptcies soared 41 percent in September from a year before and climbed from August, as high unemployment and the housing market crash took their toll, the American Bankruptcy Institute said on Friday. September filings totaled 124,790, the fourth-highest month since the bankruptcy law changed in 2005.

Alone in a crowd of rugged men, nursing his drink in the far corner of the old post town's only tavern: Kaim. A single man strides in through the tavern door. Massively built, he wears the garb of a warrior. His soiled uniform bespeaks a long journey. Fatigue marks his face, but his eyes wear a penetrating gleam—the look of a fighting man on active duty. The tavern's din hushes instantly. Every drunken eye in the place fastens on the soldier with awe and gratitude. The long war with the neighboring country has ended at last, and the men who...

Military Veteran, House Raided, Losing House, Current Recession. On 08-24-09, my house which I am losing was raided and my family was treated extremely poorly(injuries). There was nothing found and yet my son was arrested and charged. 40-days later, no court date. Banks received the bailout and yet are not willing to really help because its better for them to receive the additional funds if they forclose. Obama, what the hell, divide up the bailout, give it to the working class that pays taxes. No ? Gee financial recovery for everyone, banks(mortgages), auto mfgr's, farmers, buisness in genral, faster recovery...

Intentional self-destruction of a once powerful voice. 5th column or a huge gathering of extremely stupid people? Your guess is as good as mine. The Pubs continue to be a joke. ZOT!!! Thanks, Mod. I'm beside myself and really can't be held responsible.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's personal finances appear to be on sound footing even as the nation's economy struggles, a financial report he released Friday shows. Obama and his wife Michelle have $1.4 million to $5.9 million in assets, not counting their Chicago home. Their holdings include up to $265,000 in checking accounts. The president's new financial disclosure report mirrors one he filed a few months ago. Much of the Obamas' wealth comes from the president's best-sellers. The books, "Dreams from My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope," brought in about $2.5 million in royalties last year, according to tax...

Sorry for the vanity post (I do these a few times every year), but I was looking for some advice from a Freeper with a background in veterinary medicine. I am not looking for medical advice about an animal or other "patient," but for some help with a question I have about the field of veterinary medicine and an issues that I am dealing with that may involve health/safety standards for the profession.

I want to buy a handgun and would like some opinions on to what I should be looking out for and what kind would be best for me. I do not know much about the features of most handguns and what would best fit me. I like to go to shooting ranges and would like to use my own gun. I would also like to have one in my house just in case. I want a basic pistol that is easy for novice shooters. I don't need anything overpowering or too flashy. What kind of mm do I need and...

QUESTION:Since I expect to owe income taxes for '08, should I sell my mutual funds at a loss to help offset those taxes and make them lower? I really do a good job saving and paying bills but the past six months we've had a lot of stuff "break" at home, plus we've had our hours cut at work and thus a lower income coming into the household. I am contemplating doing this move--and I rarely dip into my mutuals, only for big purchases. But I thought if I took a loss on my mutuals, I would owe less to...

Once again we are asking the same people who got us into this crisis to get us out. This crisis began with the Gumming of the Oil exploration industry years ago. The District of Corruption forced our Oil Industry to go overseas to explore so were forced to pay premiums for our most basic commodity. This finally contributed to the tightening of the Housing Industry when some people were forced to put more money into their cars tightening their budgets. The entire economy froze, tanks to increasing energy costs. This tightening hit right into the heart of the corrupt Mortgage...

Monday was one of the most unusual days I have experienced on the campaign trail to date. The looming hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico turned months of planning for the GOP Convention upside down and last minute changes were being made due to the storm. We were all very concerned for the entire region. I love New Orleans and I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been for those residents to once again be displaced by the evacuations. What made this day bearable for me was having my entire family together - something that rarely happens with...

you purchase a new leather case for your Mac. I received a call from FedEx yesterday explaining that I would have to apply for an "Importer Number" from Homeland Security because the MacBook Pro case I ordered from Argentina was more than Homeland Security would allow without one. I tried to explain to FedEx that I am a consumer, not an "importer" and I bloody well didn't want to be entered into some Homeland Security database over a silly case which would protect my new computer. I've purchased products from this company for more than 5 years and never had...

I suppose a lot of people wonder why a loving God would keep Himself so hidden and unseen when so many people it seems are looking for Him. Some people I suppose wonder why God doesn’t just make Himself known to everyone and ‘just let them decide’ after His physical revelation is made clear? First off I want to point out that for God to make Himself physically known to us, God would have had to have been physically with everyone right from the beginning of creation, to the present, as people are born every single second, in great numbers,...

On Turning 50Okay, so I'm 50 years old today, and the only reason I bring it up is because, well, actually there are two reasons. The first is because for a person to have lived half a century is really an accomplishment, especially if you lived as dangerously as I chose to in my youth. I no longer do many of the things I was doing way back then, such as drinking beer and chasing women all night long, drag racing my Dad's Pontiac, and smoking enough wacky weed to deforest half of Colombia. So: thank you, dear Lord for...

Hello, I'm new here as a poster. If I am doing this wrong, let me know. but my flame suit probably was made in china, so hope you're aim isn't all that good:)