Free Republic

US court has ruled that websites set up to allow people to swop their votes are legal and protected by the Constitution. Back in the heady days of 2000, prior to the election of George W Bush, a couple of websites were set up to allow supporters of independent candidate Ralph Nader and of Democrat candidate Al Gore to trade their votes in order to maximise the anti-Republican vote. The websites were quickly closed before the election on grounds that they were trading, or buying, votes. But the 9th US Court of Appeals said the decision to shut the sites,...

Can't post the body of the article 'cause Wired thinks they're too important. The link works: link

I have been observing the news lately, and have noticed the recent increase in reports of successful crackdowns on illegal immigrants. I am curious as to whether anyone else has noticed this. I am further curious as to whether this is actual increased immigration enforcement activity, or propaganda akin to there being no homeless problem whenever there is a Dem president in office i.e. now that the dem congress is in power, Something is Being Done about immigration violators.

If you were to live outside of the US, what country would you pick to be an ex-pat in? Why?

I'm trying to find info on lefty darling Jesselyn Radack for a course in my Master's program. So far, the only story of events I have been able to find is the one where she tries to stop the FBI interrogation of Johnny Taliban because he already has a lawyer (that being her side of the story). When the FBI interrogates him anyway, she tries to show the court that Chertoff ignored her emails to him about the breach of procedure. She then discovers that critical emails are missing. She gets them restored from backup and presents them to the...

The joint effort by BP, SMIT, the US Coast Guard and US Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service continues today to respond to the Thunder Horse platform incident in Mississippi Canyon Block 778 approximately 150 miles southeast of New Orleans. The recovery team made significant progress in the last 24-hours. The platform is stable, the trim is normal, freeboard is normal Related Pictures Thunder Horse Moored Semisubmersible PDQ (Click to Enlarge) and displacement is normal. Concern for safety and the environment remain top priorities. Operations to-date have resulted in one minor injury. There have been no spills. The weather at...

So, whatever happened to the "secret" Democratic memos from the Intelligence Committee that that Republican staffer discovered? You know, the ones that showed the Dems' willingness to disrupt the War on Terror just so they could do a hatchet job on Bush? This issue seems to have dropped off the radar. And while I'm at it, let me just drag up ol' "secret docs in sox" Sandy Burglar, just to keep things current there too.

Back in the late 1960s and early 70s, auto manufacturers turned out a series of very "masculine" cars, mostly coupes, the kind you drove down to the steakhouse on a friday while smoking a big ol' stogie. Cars like the 1968-1972 "Gentlemens' GTO" Pontiac Grand Prix, the 67-70 Toronado, the Riviera up to 1972, the 69-70 Mercury Marauder, the Monte Carlo up to 1977, the Fury III, the late-60s Mercury Marquis coupe and the Monterey sedan etc etc. Sadly, these large, powerful, yet understated cars have faded away. Excluding sporting cars like the Corvette, Trans Am, Camaro, and Mustang, and...

The Independent won't let me post the actual article. Please check out the link for the actual text. They essentially say that scientists have laid out what "disasters" will happen when. Here's the link: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=607254

To Texas Freepers: Do any of you know anything about the following summer camps: Kamp Kickapoo Camp Arrowhead Heart O' the Hills I.e. quality of staff/activities/"camp experience", best facilities, satisfaction with experience (if you went there or know someone who did). Littlest of the pig family has only 5 yrs, 10 mos. before she is old enough to attend, so I figure it's never to early to start planning (and saving; camp ain't cheap). Also, DW is terrified of number one offspring doing anything that has a potential for injury, which leaves off nearly everything you can do at summer...

Why is property so expensive in Alaska? I am vaguely considering a job up there, and was looking at housing costs and YE GADS! Houses less than 1000sq/ft, on 0.10 acres, for nearly $200,000? What's up with that? Is it just Anchorage, or what? I can't imagine that housing is that scarce, is it?

EDWARDS: Well, first, with respect to what's happening in Africa and Russia and in other places around the world, the vice president spoke about the $15 billion for AIDS. John Kerry and I believe that needs to be doubled. And I might add, on the first year of their commitment, they came up significantly short of what they had promised. And we probably won't get a chance to talk about Africa. Let me just say a couple of things. The AIDS epidemic in Africa, which is killing millions and millions of people and is a frightening thing not just for...

I need help finding the exact text of a post from sometime back in early summer. Probably sometime around May. I don't remember the subject of the thread this post was in, but the text of the post was something along the lines of "when disaster strikes, when catastrophe occurs, when all else has failed and hope is dim, the one thing every human on earth wants to see is a US army helicopter". If anyone remembers this post, or the exact words, I would be most grateful if you could point me to it/them. Thanks.

Has there been any further progress on this, or did the Dems bury it (as usual)? I remember something about the Sergeant at Arms investigating, but have heard nothing recently.

FOX’s global warming thriller THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW is turning into a political lightening rod. A rally featuring former VP and environmental advocate Al Gore will be held a couple of blocks away from the pic’s May 24 preem in Gotham and hosted by MoveOn.org, DAILY VARIETY is reporting on Wednesday. Helmed by director Roland Emmerich, DAY follows the onset of a new Ice Age just three days after the polar ice caps melt. With Emmerich’s penchant for onscreen destruction, the pic includes catastrophic tornadoes touching down in Los Angeles, giant hail in Tokyo and the flooding and freezing of...

The Senate sergeant at arms’ final report on whether Republican aides hacked into Democratic Judiciary Committee files has been delayed as a former committee aide stepped forward with new information that seems to undercut Democratic claims that a criminal investigation was warranted. The report was scheduled to be given to Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and ranking Democrat Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) yesterday. Democrats on the judiciary panel have called for a criminal investigation of how Republican aides accessed internal Democratic documents and whether they then circulated them to the media, the Department of Justice and the White House. But...

Is this really the best time to provoke G.W.? By Patrick Markey CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called President Bush (news - web sites) an "---hole" on Sunday for meddling, and vowed never to quit office like his Haitian counterpart as troops battled with opposition protesters demanding a recall referendum against him. Reuters Photo Chavez, who often says the U.S. is backing opposition efforts to topple his leftist government, accused Bush of heeding advice from "imperialist" aides to support a brief 2002 coup against him. "He was an ---hole to believe them," Chavez roared at a huge...

Last night, I heard a news item on the radio, that Bush's upcoming campaign would be shelving "Compassionate Conservatism", and would present voters with a choice: Tax breaks or continued support for the war on Terror. I haven't seen anything online about this yet. Can someone else confirm or refute this? If this is the case, ol' W needs a visit from the ClueBat (unless, of course, he WANTS to be just like dear old one-term Dad). Note to moderators: if I posted this in the wrong place please move (first thread I have ever started).