Free Republic

A massive artillery bombardment on the morning of February 21st 1916 signalled the start of the German attack on Verdun, the longest single battle of the First World War. More than 1,200 guns opened fire before German troops began their assault on fortifications of major symbolic inportance to France. Even by the standards of the Great War, the Battle of Verdun was a particularly brutal campaign of attrition, fuelled by the determination of both sides not to give way as the struggle wore on. The battle was to last 300 days, almost until Christmas, on a narrow front stretching no...

Ryan T Anderson from the Heritage Foundation successfully defended the Indiana law on Ed Schultz's MSNBC program. Schultz throws a hissy fit and first cuts Anderson's mic, then brings him back, gets schooled again, and apologizes to his viewers, saying he "can't have a civil conversation."

Just wanted everyone to remember the President's admonition and stay safe and alert out there, and watch for signs of any Christian Crusader activity. I thought I saw a Crusader in armor, waving around the flag of St George, up to no good and about kill some innocent Muslim schoolchildren, but it turns out it was just a silver Dodge Neon at a stoplight. I think Homeland Security should come up with some sort of color coded Christian Crusader Threat lever alert chart for us.

On May 12, General Grant ordered II Corps commander Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock to lead the attack on the Muleshoe, this time from the north, near its tip, where in theory it should have been most vulnerable... ..During the night Confederate pickets heard a rumbling that sounded like troops moving, and Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson alerted his brigade commanders... Within the works Rebels got the order to fire, but in the damp morning air many powder charges failed to ignite. The Yankees poured over the Confederate works by the hundreds, fighting hand-to-hand with bayonets and clubbed muskets. The Federals...

U.S. security officials are investigating a recent intelligence report that a group of 25 Chechen terrorists illegally entered the United States from Mexico in July. The Chechen group is suspected of having links to Islamist terrorists seeking to separate the southern enclave of Chechnya from Russia, according to officials familiar with intelligence reports. Members of the group, said to be wearing backpacks, secretly traveled to northern Mexico and crossed into a mountainous part of Arizona that is difficult for U.S. border security agents to monitor, said officials speaking on the condition of anonymity. The intelligence report was supplied to the...

...At 2 p.m., USS CONSTITUTION opened fire on HMS JAVA, a 38-gun ship that was smaller and faster than her adversary and commanded by Capt. Henry Lambert. HMS JAVA's opening salvo damaged USS CONSTITUTION's rigging and spars and wounded Bainbridge. Raking fire from HMS JAVA to the American frigate's stern shattered the helm and killed or injured the four helmsmen. Wounded a second time in the thigh, Bainbridge passed steering orders to Marines in the ship's tiller room, who moved the rudder using block and tackle. Setting the fore and main courses, USS CONSTITUTION closed fast and delivered a broadside...

(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) says, “corporations control the patterns of thinking” in the United States and that the Bill of Rights to the Constitution should be amended so that the government is given the power to restrict freedom of speech. "We need a constitutional amendment to allow the legislature to control the so-called free speech rights of corporations," said Johnson. “These corporations, along with the people they support, other millionaires who they’re putting into office, are stealing your government. They’re stealing the government and the U.S. Supreme Court was a big enabler with the Citizens United case,” Johnson...

Saw this ad as Craig's List today. This is NOT my ad. I guess it is some farmer trying to get rid of his manure spreader.

On November 6, 1861, Brig. Gen. U.S. Grant left Cairo, Illinois, by steamers, in conjunction with two gunboats, to make a demonstration against Columbus, Kentucky. The next morning, Grant learned that Confederate troops had crossed the Mississippi River from Columbus to Belmont, Missouri, to intercept two detachments sent in pursuit of Brig. Gen. M. Jeff Thompson and, possibly, to reinforce Maj. Gen. Sterling Price’s force. He landed on the Missouri shore, out of the range of Confederate artillery at Columbus, and started marching the mile to Belmont. At 9:00 in the morning, an engagement began. The Federals routed the Confederates...

"Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy." "There are gonna be a lot of you who want to go, 'Whoa, wait a...

URBANA – School reform activist, education scholar and former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers will be a Unit One/Allen Hall guest-in-residence next week. He will speak each night of his residency. All events are open to the public and take place in the Main Lounge of Allen Hall, 1005 W. Gregory St., U. Ayers, a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is founder of the Center for Youth and Society and founder and co-director of the Small Schools Workshop. He has written extensively about social justice, democracy and education...

Frustrated with the number of students killed by gunfire, community leaders are calling for the passage of new gun legislation. Hundreds of students joined in the movement to reverse a deadly pattern of young people being shot and killed. So far, 20 Chicago public students have been killed by gunfire this school year. Students from Simeon Career Academy, 8147 S. Vincennes, left school Tuesday with the superintendent's blessing. The students took part in an anti-violence rally at the Thompson Center. Empty desks and pairs of shoes symbolized the young men and women who have been killed... ..."When young people stand...

Immigration operation going on Buffet City employees reportedly taken away By JAYETTE BOLINSKI STAFF WRITER Published Thursday, September 21, 2006 Federal agents took employees from at least one Springfield restaurant into custody Wednesday, apparently as part of a daylong illegal immigration roundup. Agents reportedly were seen at Buffet City, 1774 Wabash Ave., along with several handcuffed individuals. The doors were locked Wednesday evening, and a sign posted on the front stated the restaurant was closed for reconstruction. A call to Buffet City went unanswered. Few details about the operation were released. Gail Montenegro, spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

A Defense of the Darth Vader A republic is in shambles, and its leaders and protectors are at odds with each other. The Jedi Knights are about to arrest and, yes, assassinate the Chancellor. What’s the right thing to do? You have sworn to protect the laws, sworn to serve and protect its executors, yet you have also sworn yourself to the brotherhood order of the Jedi. The Jedi mistrust you and you mistrust them. They have denied you your rightful place in leadership. They have ordered you to commit treason against the republic, and against its leader. They have...