Free Republic

Illinois officials hope serving the invasive species on a plate is the creative solution to two big problems: controlling the plankton-gobbling carp from entering the Great Lakes and record numbers of people facing hunger. But the idea has major obstacles, mainly overcoming people's nose-crinkling response to eating a fish that grows to 100 pounds and is able to sail out of the water — a trait spotlighted in YouTube videos.

Seated in a chair beside the fireplace, Obama turned his attention to a 27-year-old with close-cropped hair among the aides perched on the office couch. His instructions were familiar. "You and I always tell a story pretty well. I still want to make sure we do that here," Obama said, according to one participant.

"These accounts were communicated to the Office of the United States Attorney in interviews that were conducted last week. At the request of the Office, we delayed the release of this report until such time as the interviews could be completed. The interviews took place over a period of three days: Thursday, December 18, 2008 (the President-Elect); December 19, 2008 (Valerie Jarrett); and December 20, 2008 (Rahm Emanuel)."

Excerpt from article: "Ever vigilant about coups and fearful of revolt, Mr. Hussein was deeply distrustful of his own commanders and soldiers, the documents show. He made crucial decisions himself, relied on his sons for military counsel and imposed security measures that had the effect of hobbling his forces. He did this in several ways: * The Iraqi dictator was so secretive and kept information so compartmentalized that his top military leaders were stunned when he told them three months before the war that he had no weapons of mass destruction, and they were demoralized because they had counted on...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The diners arrived at a nice Manhattan restaurant on a cold February night and stripped off coats, hats, gloves and scarves. They didn't stop there. Skirts, shirts, pants, underwear and stockings all ended up stashed in plastic bags by the bar as the patrons got naked for the monthly "Clothing Optional Dinner."

Ward Churchill has had a hard couple of weeks. After an essay Churchill wrote in 2001 was brought to the public's attention, this University of Colorado professor was been rebuked by his governor, chided by students and condemned by conservatives. While most folks are satisfied with name-calling, a vociferous few want Churchill fired. I'll be honest: Churchill's views are hard to swallow. His essay compares the 9-11 victims (yes, the victims) to those Nazis who perpetrated the Holocaust. Pretty tough stuff.

With Ohio inching toward a final recount that trimmed a few hundred votes from President Bush's six-figure margin, elections officials said electronic voting systems worked as promised. But critics were unconvinced. With recount results reported in 86 of 88 counties Tuesday, President Bush picked up 438 votes and Sen. John Kerry gained 680, narrowing Bush's 119,000-vote lead by 242 votes, according to an Associated Press survey.

COLUMBUS -- As Republican officials stonewall subpoenas and subvert the recount process, Rev. Jesse Jackson has pronounced Ohio's vote fraud fiasco "the biggest deal since Selma" and has called for a national rally at "the scene of the crime" in Columbus January 3. Another major national demonstration will follow in Washington on January 6, as Congress evaluates the Electoral College. Should at least one US Representative and one Senator challenge the electors' votes, a Constitutional crisis could ensue.

On the 13th the Electoral College meets. I posted this as a good link to keep handy in case things get interesting. It answers most questions and provides useful information, such as the fact that there is no Federal requirement for the Electoral College to vote a certain way, though there may be individual state requirements. Seems like a good resource to have handy as we work our way through to January 20th. Much of the information appearing in the media is flawed. Best to go to the source.

NEW YORK Those who believe that something's rotten in the state of Ohio, that it mishandled the Nov. 2 election, shouldn't hold their breath waiting for a revelation from the state's major papers that might call into question President Bush's victory. While most of the top dailies there say they are following, if not probing, each accusation, many coming from liberal blogs, none of the editors who spoke to E&P this week find the allegations highly convincing or plan to devote major resources to them. "We have been chasing them down as they come up, and a lot of them...

Results posted today - in .pdf file.

CRAWFORD, TX – In an attempt to show that he will be even tougher on terrorism during his second term, President George W. Bush added the states that did not vote for him to the Axis of Evil, Underneath Politics learned. California and New York, both states that easily went for Democratic challenger John Kerry, are now considered “against us” in the war on terror. Due to the United States military being bogged down in Iraq, and invasion of California or New York is unlikely. However the administration could decide to invade Vermont because it’s very small and also went...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Free admission is bringing thousands of visitors to the new Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. Skip Rutherford, the president of the foundation that built the library, said more than 9,000 people showed up Friday -- far exceeding the 3,000 that had been expected. Rutherford said lines were steady despite an Arkansas Razorbacks football game. He said the crowd included many locals, as well as people from all over the world. The presidential library is waiving its normal $7 entry fee over the holiday weekend. The $165 million glass-and-steel building, home to artifacts and documents gathered...

Since George W. Bush captured Florida and the White House again, critics have fixed their sights on northern pockets of the Sunshine State and asked: How did the Republicans win so heavily in counties stocked with Democrats? Some wondered whether Florida's tally was corrupt, with one Internet site writing: "George W. Bush's vote tallies, especially in the key state of Florida, are so statistically stunning that they border on the unbelievable." Last week, The Miami Herald went to see for itself whether Bush's steamroll through North Florida was legitimate. Picking three counties that fit the conspiracy theory profile - staunchly...

E-MAIL FROM IRAQ A friend of ours, Heidi, a doctor and Lt. Cmdr. in the Navy, just finished a seven-month deployment to Iraq treating wounded Marines. Just a few weeks ago, she came home to her 2-year-old twins she left with her husband while she served in Iraq.   While waiting for her flight home, Heidi wrote an e-mail home listing the good and the bad of her tour of duty. She did this for closure and healing, hoping that somehow the trauma, the fear, the grief, the laughter, the pride and the patriotism that she experience in those long...

E-MAIL FROM IRAQ A friend of ours, Heidi, a doctor and Lt. Cmdr. in the Navy, just finished a seven-month deployment to Iraq treating wounded Marines. Just a few weeks ago, she came home to her 2-year-old twins she left with her husband while she served in Iraq.   While waiting for her flight home, Heidi wrote an e-mail home listing the good and the bad of her tour of duty. She did this for closure and healing, hoping that somehow the trauma, the fear, the grief, the laughter, the pride and the patriotism that she experience in those long...

Kerry has made it crystal clear - he will never surrender. Meaning he will never concede. He will now unleash his lawyers with instructions to turn this into a reverse of 2000 - with Bush winning the popular vote but losing the electoral vote after the lawsuits are decided weeks or months from now. In the process, the world will be able to see how scary sKerry really is. This one is a long way from being over.

Watching the dollar sink, oil climb and stocks drop in the overnight markets got me thinking (and short the dollar). Bush may be the benficiary of some bad timing this week, with several key areas of support in danger of being violated, with some big declines possible. Nothing ominous in the big scheme of things, but a market dump this week will give sKerry something to harp about one week before the election. Just a heads up. A market dump this week would also get the MSM croaking. Timing is everything.

"Permission to fight (against disbelievers) is given to those (believers) who are fought against, because they have been wronged and surely, Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory" [Quran 22:39] "Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (anything worshipped other than Allah e.g. Satan). So fight you against the friends of Satan; ever feeble is indeed the plot of Satan."[Quran 4:76] ..... If the Americans refuse to listen to our advice and the goodness, guidance and righteousness that we call them to, then be aware that you...

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