Free Republic

One of the most damaging forces in the study of history in recent years has been revisionism. Revisionist historians have painted Thomas Jefferson as a slave owner who took liberties with his property. Revisionists have tried to make slavery the primary cause of the Civil War. Revisionists have done their damage to figures in the ancient world, as well, with none taking the brunt quite so squarely as Alexander. In his interview with Hannity on Wednesday, Forbes was discussing his most recent book and gave his take on the oft-misunderstood conqueror, calling Alexander one who was given to passions that...

Ahead of a visit to Ghana at the weekend, he said: "Ultimately, I'm a big believer that Africans are responsible for Africa. "I think part of what's hampered advancement in Africa is that for many years we've made excuses about corruption or poor governance, that this was somehow the consequence of neo-colonialism, or the West has been oppressive, or racism – I'm not a big – I'm not a believer in excuses."" Mr Obama, the son of a Kenyan, added: "I'd say I'm probably as knowledgeable about African history as anybody who's occupied my office. And I can give you...

Demonstrations are planned in more than 200 cities and towns across the country, protesting last month's disputed election. Participants are advised to carry nothing heavier than a rose. Reporting from Tehran and Beirut -- There are no formal organizers and no leader has called on followers to join in. But in cities across Iran, thousands of people are planning to silently march today in unauthorized demonstrations. The demonstrators intend to show their discontent over the reelection last month of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and commemorate the 10th anniversary of a violent confrontation between students and security forces. According to one circular...

From early morning, convoys of khaki trucks carrying paramilitary riot police rumbled into Urumqi. The troop carriers, interspersed with armoured personnel carriers, water cannons and multiple tear-gas launchers, disgorged their cargoes into the streets around Urumqi's People's Square, fanning rapidly out across the city centre. After Tuesday's chaotic scenes, where the Chinese authorities appeared to be taken by surprise when a 10,000-strong mob of Han Chinese took to the streets with axes, staves and knives, this was an unequivocal reassertion of the controlling power of state. As soon as curfew was lifted at 8am, the streets reverberated to the tramp...

An NAACP official has demanded the governor of Pennsylvania call out the National Guard, suspend civil liberties and impose martial law to deal with a recent wave of shootings. Stanley Lawson, president of the Harrisburg Chapter of the NAACP, urged Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell deploy the National Guard for at least one month and enforce a curfew after more than a dozen shootings rocked the city, according to the Patriot News. Many of the shots were fired during daylight hours, and one man was killed at a busy intersection in the middle of the afternoon June 24. "The Guard is...

A more troubling question is why so little is being spent from the first. In "Brewster's Millions," a comedy starring Richard Pryor, a man is told he can keep $300 million if he manages to spend $30 million in one month. The movie documents -- with a great deal of humor -- his difficulties getting the money spent. The Obama administration is currently facing a similar problem with its "stimulus" spending, only without the humor. With the economy weak and the labor market continuing to decline, there is now talk of a second stimulus (which is actually the third, counting...

Rev nails it again !!!!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Reported by: Stacy Daniel A pit bull attacks a horse at a popular Central Coast beach. The horse's owner, who did not want to go on camera, fearing some sort of retaliation, says she and two friends were riding on a trail in Oceano when the dark-bluish gray pit bull came from out of nowhere. The horse's owner said, "It's a very big safety concern because that dog was off leash, and if that dog is still out there and were to attack somebody else, I'd kind of hate to think what would happen." The horse...

Tucker Carlson pronounces Jeb Bush "the Future of the Republican Party," which is rather like saying that hamburgers are the future of cows. I've been warning about The Jeb Menace since before the last election. Nov. 1, 2008: Palin is being sabotaged by Republicans who are trying to scramble aboard the Jeb Bush 2012 bandwagon.

A fun trip to watch fireworks ended with violence for several spectators, and police said the teen who assaulted at least four people are still at large. Akron police said the victims believe they were punched, kicked and stomped by a gang for no reason. Marty Marshall and his family had just left Firestone Park after watching fireworks on June 27 and they went to a friend's house on Girard Street. That's when, according to Marshall, 30 to 50 kids between the ages of 9 and 18 turned violent out of the blue. Marshall tried to help a friend who...

The firing of more than two dozen Hispanic employees from Taco Bell outlets in Madison and Sun Prairie has sparked a protest by 16 local members of the clergy. "It troubles us on a moral level if hard-working people are being treated with such a lack of respect and dignity," states a letter to Greg Creed, president of Taco Bell Corp. of Irvine, Calif. • Government rules for “no-match” employees • MarketWatch page on Yum! Brands Inc. • Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice • Workers Rights Center A company spokesman denied wrongdoing. "The federal government notified us that the Social...

LANCASTER [California] - Sheriff's homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 43-year-old man who died at a hospital several hours after deputies shocked him with a electronic device to subdue him following a traffic accident. A Sheriff's Department Headquarters Bureau spokesman said the man is not believed to have died from the Taser shock. Identified by Los Angeles Coroner's officials as Raynard Jensen Davis, he was described by deputies as about 6 feet tall and weighing about 400 pounds. Coroner officials said autopsy and toxicology tests were pending to determine what killed Davis. Deputies said the man died at...

Los Angeles city officials say $1.4 million was spent to provide security, traffic control and other services surrounding Michael Jackson's memorial service. The police department said Wednesday that more than 4,000 officers worked to secure Staples Center, Forest Lawn cemetery, and other areas that attracted fans and members of the media. Their deployment cost $1.1 million in overtime pay.

So why should we trust him with health care? In February, President Barack Obama signed a $787 billion stimulus bill while making lavish promises about the results. He pledged that "a new wave of innovation, activity and construction will be unleashed all across America." He also said the stimulus would "save or create up to four million jobs." Vice President Joe Biden said the massive federal spending plan would "drop-kick" the economy out of the recession. But the unemployment rate today is 9.5% -- nearly 20% higher than the Obama White House said it would be with the stimulus in...

Pirates on Wednesday seized a Turkish cargo ship and its all-Turkish crew of 23 off the coast of Somalia, a spokesman for the company which owns the ship said. The bulk carrier Horizon 1 was sailing from Saudi Arabia to Jordan with 33,000 cubic metres of sulphide when it was seized around 0530 GMT by pirates on speedboats, Omer Ozgur from Istanbul-based Horizon Maritime and Trade told AFP. "Because the ship was loaded, it was very easy for the pirates to board it," he said. The Horizon 1 was passing through the warship-patrolled transit corridor, which vessels are encouraged to...

Joey insisted that he wasn't an ass. But when his wife, Pooh, and his Son, Tigger, made him dress up like one for the family portrait, he proved himself infinitely an ass, for all the world to see, on the Internet, forever.

Louisiana congressman introduces bill that would force any member of Congress who votes in favor of government-run health care to enroll themselves in the program. Yesterday, I wrote a little about the Doctrine of Constructive Obstructionism, about how congressional Republicans must propose alternatives to the plans and proposals put forth by their counterparts across the aisle, unify behind those alternatives, and refuse to budge with regard to each and every piece of legislation proposed by the Democrats that weakens our economy and undermines our national defense. It seems as though, when it comes to the health care debate, one House...

The story writes itself.

Hilarious takeoff of Dowd's "secret palin diary" column that came out on the NYT yesterday.

With the addition of Al Franken to the U.S. Senate, Democrats believed that now have a 60 vote, filibuster-proof majority. But on the issue of "Cap and Trade," at least one Democrat is not supporting the legislation in its current form - Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia . . . . MORE