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I need help. A complete mental block is preventing me from using the German word for personal pleasure in someone's pain....Starts with S?

I haven’t commented here in some time, fearing my views could bring an assault by the thought police and land me in a “re-education camp.” But then I remembered that Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” So I will rant... • It seems, in this Obama administration, that free speech only exists for those who don’t dissent. All the rest of us are thugs, members-of-a-mob, or little NAZIs; or is it that we are dressed too well? Obama’s recent appointment to the FCC will copy China’s “free speech”...

Can Wine and Fruit Promote Truth? By Norma Zager “That's what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end.” Lise Hand In today’s world it seems more difficult than ever to maintain a civil discourse. The meeting of minds is often no more civil than ten rounds at Madison Square Garden, with all the blood and sweat necessary to exert a knockout punch. The other evening, Soraya and Isaac Nazarian invited us to...

Burt Reynolds Enters Fla. Rehab For Pill Addiction WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Actor Burt Reynolds has checked himself into a rehab facility in West Palm Beach to be treated for an addiction to painkillers. Reynolds' manager Erik Kritzer said in a statement Wednesday that the "Smokey and the Bandit" star was struggling after a recent back surgery and "realized that he was in the prison of prescription pain pills." Kritzer says Reynolds hopes his story will help others in similar situations and that they will not try to solve the problem by themselves.

House Clears $3 Billion For Auto Technology Research September 16, 2009 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives approved a $3 billion proposal on Wednesday to further spur research into advanced batteries and other technologies to power electric cars and other vehicles. The bill, proposed by Michigan Representative Gary Peters, would also establish a technology program for commercial trucks, transit vehicles and heavy duty machinery. The government has in recent months sharply boosted funding for battery research as U.S. automakers seek to reverse their fortunes and increase production of hybrids and introduce electric cars. Japan leads the industry in advanced...

Dear Liberals, Please be advised that your Race Card account has been closed. This decision was based on your account history of excessive over-limit spending. Please destroy your card immediately as it will no longer be honored. Sincerely, The American People

<p>The House ethics committee revealed Wednesday it is investigating allegations involving three lawmakers in unrelated incidents.</p> <p>The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, commonly known as the ethics panel, issued separate statements Wednesday identifying inquiries into Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.).</p>

Helmand Province, Afghanistan With the war increasing, Air Force Pararescue has been crisscrossing the skies picking up casualties. (excerpt) We are flying in a special U.S. Air Force Blackhawk helicopter to fetch a seriously ill British soldier. In Iraq, many of the casevacs were done by ground forces. In other words, if we hit a bomb or got shot, soldiers would load up the dead and wounded and rush them to the CSH (Combat Support Hospital or “cash”). But in Afghanistan most of the fighting occurs outside the cities and far away from the base hospitals. Rescue helicopters stationed at...

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — An apparent dispute between two teenage boys at a South Florida high school Tuesday left one dead from a knife wound and the other in police custody. The school, Coral Gables High, was locked down, and students had to remain in classrooms after the authorities were alerted to the stabbing.

KEITH OLBERMANN, HOST: Breaking news at this hour: Saying the inclination to racism in the country still exists, former President Jimmy Carter has tonight told NBC News that it has again bubbled up to the surface and that much of the most extreme animosity towards President Obama stems from the belief—again quoting Jimmy Carter, “that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country,” unquote. With a hilariously studied seriousness, , Keith Olbermann and Lawrence O’Donnell discussed Jimmy Carter’s charges that racism was behind the opposition to Obama as though it was a brand new thought, rather than something both...

Here is audio / video of former Sen. Fred Thompson on his radio show today sharing several sets of "four words he would like to hear from President Obama." (Video)

It was hard to believe, but the bankers were running low on risky assets. After low-rated bonds and loans had been pooled once, they were gone, and therefore no longer available to be pooled again. It was truly incredible, but there simply wasn't enough crap on Wall Street. This is where derivatives entered the picture.

The Relics And Bones That Bring Us Closer To God Christopher Howse 16 Sep 2009 Thousands will turn out to see the relics of Teresa of Lisieux A woman who has been dead for 112 years arrives in Plymouth today, and at the weekend thousands are expected to turn out when she moves on to Birmingham. Thérèse Martin will be the centre of attention in a month-long tour of England and Wales, but while her picture dominates dozens of venues, all to be seen of her in person is a casket that holds her mortal remains. These old bones of...

Welcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink. Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

Gold prices continued to rise on Wednesday and pushed the record closing high above $1,020. The U.S. dollar continued its fall against the euro, adding to the precious metal's hedge value. December-stamped gold finished at $1,020.20 per ounce, up $13.90 on the session. Prices hit as high as $1,023.30. The dollar continued its decline versus the euro, falling to its lowest level in almost a year. Gold most often moves opposite the dollar because of the precious metal's hedge appeal. The record intraday high is $1,033.90, reached in March 2008. When adjusted for inflation, however, gold moved near $2,000 in...

Fiery Megan Fox has admitted that she has threatened to kill her boyfriend during their rows. The Hollywood star said she has such a fierce temper that she told Brian Austin Green, an actor in U.S. sitcom 90210, that she would stab him. The Transformers actress also admitted cutting herself in the past.

They may look fierce, but gorillas are no match for poachers who are hunting them so relentlessly the massive animals could soon be wiped out from their home in the Republic of Congo. As many as 100 gorillas a year are slaughtered by poachers and sold for bush meat in a single region in the Republic of Congo, an environmental group tells the BBC. If poaching in the region continues at its current rate, gorillas could last another decade, but not longer. SLIDESHOW: The World's Largest Primates. Endangered Species International carried out an undercover investigation in Kouilou, a region 80...

LIBERAL LIES ABOUT NATIONAL HEALTH CARE: BONUS JOE WILSON EDITION!September 16, 2009 I'm trying to get to the next installment of my Pulitzer Prize-deserving series on liberal lies about national health care, but apparently liberals have decided to torture us by neurotically fixating on one lie. After President Barack Obama gave a speech to a joint session of Congress last week passionately defending his national health care plan, the Democrats were agog at the brilliance of the speech. Nancy Pelosi was so thrilled, her expression almost changed. But as Obama ticked off one demonstrably false claim after another -- eliciting...

The Boise City Council passed a controversial health care resolution Tuesday night by a four to three margin. Mayor Dave Bieter passed the deciding vote after listening to more than an hour of public testimony. Most of that testimony was against the resolution on the national health care crises. Less than a handful sided with the mayor who'd proposed the resolution. "You're not concerning yourself with city Business at all I don't think you guys need to comment on it," one man told the council just before applause broke out inside council chambers. The resolution reads "The city council of...