Free Republic

They said they needed to provide bold leadership to bring change, then asked me for the money. I told them I'd give it to John Shaddegg.

Having completely missed this one when it was actually being broadcast, I decided to give the boxed set a shot. "Firefly" is easily the best science fiction show that I have ever seen. The writing and acting were superb. I think a lot of the themes in this show would be dear to the hearts of a lot of freepers. Freedom, honor, self-reliance.

Gamemaker Sued Over Hidden Sex in GTA July 27, 2005 12:58 PM EDT NEW YORK - A woman upset that she bought the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" for her 14-year-old grandson without knowing it contained hidden, sexually explicit scenes sued the manufacturer Wednesday on behalf of consumers nationwide. Florence Cohen, 85, of New York, said in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that the game's manufacturer, Rockstar Games, and its parent company, New York-based Take Two Interactive Software Inc., engaged in false, misleading and deceptive practices. She sought unspecified damages on behalf of herself...

The crippling reach of methamphetamine abuse has become the nation's leading drug problem affecting local law enforcement agencies, according to a survey of 500 sheriff's departments in 45 states. More than half of the sheriffs interviewed for a National Association of Counties survey released Tuesday said they considered meth the most serious problem facing their departments. "We're finding out that this is bigger problem than we thought," said Larry Naake, executive director of the association. "Folks at the state and federal level need to know about this." About 90 percent of those interviewed reported increases in meth-related arrests in their...

KARL ROVE'S WEB OF EVIL Right from day one, Karl Rove cemented his link with the religious right, by being born on Dec 25, 1950, a day many on the right refer to as “Christmas," a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ (an influential leader worshiped by the religious right.) It was no surprise that Dec 25, 1950 was ALSO the same EXACT day Communist forces recrossed the 38th parallel into South Korea. Clearly, Rove was already making an impact. "This is what he does," says one observer. After an unremarkable stint in high school, Rove entered the University...

MAHMUDIYA, Iraq - A small but telling test of Iraq's fledgling army came recently in this troubled farm town south of Baghdad, when a group of Iraqi soldiers, ending a house raid and rushing to board pickups they use as troop carriers, abandoned the blindfolded, handcuffed man they had come to arrest. Skip to next paragraph Enlarge This Image Christoph Bangert/Polaris, for The New York Times Iraqi special forces soldiers in training outside Baghdad demonstrate an assault on a building, using live ammunition in a so-called shoot house. American and Iraqi instructors and officials observe. More Photos > Forces in...

Click on the link. This is funny as hell.

"TEAM AMERICA: World Police" is a new movie from Matt & Trey (the southpark guys) featuring live action puppets. And there are dozens, if not hundreds, of different heads required to bring this cast to life. First of all, there are the members of Team America itself. Chris, Sarah, Lisa, Joe, and Spottiswoode are the long-standing members of the team, and Gary Johnston is a new recruit, a rising Broadway star who helps them with an undercover assignment. Then there’s the film’s main bad guy, Kim Jong Il, the “power-mad dictator” who may be selling Weapons of Mass Destruction to...

Get your free sticker here: http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/bumper_KE.php What you do with it is up to you. No matter what, it costs them money to send to you :)

Iraq combat: What it's really like over there BY JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY Knight Ridder Newspapers WASHINGTON - (KRT) - The Internet, which fills our inboxes with spam and scams every day and keeps our delete keys shiny, occasionally delivers a real keeper, such as the words below, which were written by a graduate of West Point, Class of 2003, who's now at war in Iraq. We tracked down the author, who gave us permission to quote from his letter so long as we didn't reveal his name. Old soldiers in the Civil War coined a phrase for green troops who...

Every time I load the comments page, I get an authentication prompt from MSN. Anyone else get this? It's driving me nuts.

This is the footage we've all seen of the 3 people caught setting roadside boms in Iraq. Well, now it's heavily edited and framed so that they are innocent farmers trying to surrender. Check it out and try not to throw anything. Nice piece of agitprop. http://www.ttr2.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Web_Links&file=index&req=visit&lid=492

STRENGTH (part 1) If you are new to this site, welcome. What you are about to read is less like an internet post and more like a movie...it is a long and circuitous journey, which I hope will be worth the time you invest in it. It's probably a good idea to go to the bathroom now. This is the final essay in a collection called SILENT AMERICA. The others are on the right-hand sidebar, with the earliest on the bottom and the most recent at the top. They will be printed and available for sale as a book within...

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS THE WALL STREET JOURNAL May 25, 2004 AL QA'IM, Iraq -- Early this spring, Cpl. Jason Dunham and two other Marines sat in an outpost in Iraq and traded theories on surviving a hand-grenade attack. Second Lt. Brian "Bull" Robinson suggested that if a Marine lay face down on the grenade and held it between his forearms, the ceramic bulletproof plate in his flak vest might be strong enough to protect his vital organs. His arms would shatter, but he might live. Cpl. Dunham had another idea: A Marine's Kevlar helmet held over the grenade might...

Major Mathew Schram's Memorial Day Memorial Day is like any other day when you're in an Army at War. On Memorial Day, May 26th, 2003 at approximately 7:00AM, Major Mathew E. Schram was leading a resupply convoy in Western Iraq near the Syrian border. Major Schram was the Support Operations Officer for the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (out of Ft. Carson, Colorado). He had responsibility for organizing the logistical arm of the regiment - ensuring that the Cavalrymen never ran out of food, fuel or ammo. Normally, Major Schram would not accompany the convoys as his responsibilities kept him at...

9-11 commission excludes FF testimony Wednesday, May 19, 2004 IAFF New York City - The General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO/CLC, Harold Schaitberger, issued this statement today concerning the public hearing of the 9-11 Commission and response. " The 9-11 Commission hears testimony this week from city administrators about what happened that fateful day, and what might happen if another attack is brought upon the citizens of New York City. " Since no fire fighters were asked to speak to the Commission in its public hearings, all the people of the city of New York will...

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch 'Cigar Marine' Returns Home Less One Eye, But With Spirit Intact By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jennie Haskamp Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif., May 17, 2004 — As Marine Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch sat and watched his 10-year-old son play third base on May 8 at Luckie Park in Twentynine Palms, Calif., he couldn't hide his enthusiasm. Popaditch, a Hammond, Ind., native, hadn't planned on making it to these games. "One month ago, I was in Iraq, and I assumed I'd watch his first baseball season on video tape...

If you were to decide right now, who would get your vote in the presidential election? http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/politics/3009653/detail.html