Free Republic

On June 27, 1844, Mormon leader Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Ill.

In the 60’s a new buzzword; “globalization” hit the American Shores. While the youth of America were feverish with xenophilia about fashion, music, culture, the American worker became infected with xenophobia. Globalization happened. What is American is not American and what is not American is American. Someone needs to tell the UAW the 60’s are over

Former Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad said Friday that he has attended brainstorming sessions about a possible run for Minnesota governor, although he's not ready to jump into the wide-open race. Ramstad, a prolific fundraiser with a moderate reputation, won't give a timetable for making a decision and indicated an announcement either way wouldn't come soon. "It's way too early. People need a rest. People need a breather," he said in comments to reporters after addressing a League of Minnesota Cities conference in St. Paul.

Today is Saturday, June 27, the 178th day of 2009. There are 187 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 27, 1844, Mormon leader Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Ill. On this date: In 1846, New York and Boston were linked by telegraph wires. In 1893, the New York stock market crashed. In 1944, during World War II, American forces completed their capture of the French port of Cherbourg from the Germans. In 1950, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on member nations to help South...

Misguided government policies have already dealt vicious body blows to our economy, but that hasn't stopped politicians this week from launching two new kicks to the groin: a national health insurance plan and a carbon emissions regulation system called "cap and trade." Even if these plans could achieve their desired ends, which is highly unlikely, I would have hoped Washington would refrain from throwing more monkey wrenches into the economy until it shows some signs of resurgence. The last thing we need right now is to further encumber our economy with higher taxes and additional regulations. The meteoric rise in...

Turkey appears to be taking a different stance than its European and U.S. allies in the wake of Iran's elections. The Turkish president and prime minister were among the first of the few countries to congratulate Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his disputed victory. Questions are being raised in Turkey about whether it is becoming out of step with its western allies over Iran. Turkey's U.S. and European allies are voicing increasing criticism of the Iranian presidential election and crackdown by its security forces on demonstrators. But Ankara has remained silent since Turkish President Abdullah Gul sent a congratulatory message...

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A grand jury in Anne Arundel County declined Friday to indict a 16-year-old boy for second-degree murder in the beating death of another teen. Javel George still faces a manslaughter charge filed by the State's Attorney in the death of 14-year-old Christopher Jones of Crofton. Prosecutors can't provide details about the evidence because of laws surrounding grand jury testimony. Investigators say George attacked Jones while he was riding his bicycle. Another 14-year-old old faces charges as a juvenile in connection with Jones' death.

Some dogs will try to eat anything - but for dogs like Toby, based in Afghanistan with the military, swallowing things on the ground can be extra dangerous. Last week Toby ate what experts think may have been an explosive. After ingesting the toxic substance when sniffing out Taliban improvised explosive devices on the front line, he was picked up by a medical emergency helicopter and whisked back to Camp Bastion. Army vet Captain Matt Clark gave him oxygen through a child's mask during the journey. Toby was then treated on a drip with charcoal to soak up the poison...

Attorneys for Bernard L. Madoff, who confessed to running a $65 billion Ponzi scheme, have asked a federal judge to show him leniency at sentencing, citing cooperation with federal officials. Madoff, 71, faces up to 150 years in prison when he is sentenced June 29. He pleaded guilty in March to a massive fraud, in which he paid off old investors with money from new clients. In the weeks before the fraud came to light, his clients were told they had as much as $65 billion. "We seek neither mercy nor sympathy," defense attorney Ira Sorkin wrote in a letter...

The filmmakers behind "Bruno" have decided to delete a scene involving La Toya Jackson following her brother's death. Universal Pictures, which is releasing the comedy, said the decision came "out of respect for the Jackson family." The moment was first cut out of the movie's Los Angeles premiere Thursday night, which took place just hours after the Michael Jackson's death at age 50.

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 2 Samuel 11:2-3 This is perhaps one of the most well-known stories in the Old Testament. David sinned. It wasn't Bathsheba's fault because refusing the King could have meant death for her. No, David sinned. He should have been at war but he wasn't....

today's daily poll: do you twitter? A Daily Poll.

Jun. 26, 2009 Schwarzenegger Threatens Third Furlough Day For State Employees Kevin Yamamura Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to furlough state workers an additional day each month starting in July if lawmakers do not send him a solution for the entire $24 billion budget deficit, he said today. Schwarzenegger's move would force state workers to take three unpaid days of leave each month, the equivalent of roughly a 14 percent pay cut in all. The governor framed the additional furlough day as an effort to save cash as the state faces the prospect of issuing IOUs starting Thursday. "It's clear that...

HERKIMER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Dolgeville Police have arrested a woman for disabling brakes on her boyfriend's motorcycle. Investigators responded to a man's complaint that someone had loosened his motorcycle's brake line bolts. Dolgeville Police say Lisa Cool, 29, was allegedly angry with her boyfriend and offered to pay a 16-year-old male to disable the bike's brakes. Police arrested Cool for criminal solicitation. Police also arrested the teen who agreed to disable the brakes and charged him with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. Both Cool and the 16-year-old were arraigned and released by the court to appear at a later date.

This story is about what happened on one remarkable day in St. Petersburg — Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008, to be exact. It's about a chance encounter between a couple of Dickensian characters, a crusty one-legged man who lives in the city, and a sad-eyed little boy from Orlando. ¶ The amazing coincidence of their meeting changed their lives. When the broken man met the broken boy, they began a journey to become whole again. The crusty one-legged man is Bill Hansbury, though everybody calls him Boston Bill because his roots extend to Fenway Park. Pass the lobstah, please. Boston Bill...

By Richard Morrison Washington, D.C., June 26, 2009—The Competitive Enterprise Institute is today making public an internal study on climate science which was suppressed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Internal EPA email messages, released by CEI earlier in the week, indicate that the report was kept under wraps and its author silenced because of pressure to support the Administration’s agenda of regulating carbon dioxide. The report finds that EPA, by adopting the United Nations’ 2007 “Fourth Assessment” report, is relying on outdated research and is ignoring major new developments. Those developments include a continued decline in global temperatures, a new...

June 27, 2009 Church 'out of touch' as public supports equal rights for homosexuals Rosemary Bennett A revolution in attitudes towards gay men and lesbians is indicated in a poll which shows that a majority of the public want homosexuals to share identical rights... Just 40 years after homosexual acts were legalised, and only nine years since the age of consent was equalised, 61 per cent of the public want gay couples to be able to marry just like the rest of the population, not just have civil partnerships. Half (49 per cent) believe that gay couples should have equal...

Next to the road

WASHINGTON – In a triumph for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed sweeping legislation Friday that calls for the nation's first limits on pollution linked to global warming and aims to usher in a new era of cleaner, yet more costly energy. The vote was 219-212, capping months of negotiations and days of intense bargaining among Democrats. Republicans were overwhelmingly against the measure, arguing it would destroy jobs in the midst of a recession while burdening consumers with a new tax in the form of higher energy costs. At the White House, Obama said the bill would create...

Service members and veterans will be marching to the White House on Saturday afternoon to urge President Obama to take action on the repeal of a controversial law which bans openly gay people from serving in the military. Obama committed during the presidential campaign to repeal the Clinton-era law known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” However, Obama and Pentagon leaders have not yet taken any steps to repeal that law, despite strong pressure from gay-rights advocates and a growing push from members of Congress. Congress will write the legislation repealing the ban, but lawmakers are waiting for a cue from...