Free Republic

Oklahoma beheading suspect Alton Alexander Nolen calls himself “Jah’Keem Yisrael” on his Facebook page, where he uploaded photos of himself reading the Koran and wearing Muslim religious clothing. Nolen’s Facebook “cover” photo appears to be of several Taliban fighters, according to a Google reverse image search. A Philadelphia-based friend asked Nolen if he was praying in one of his photographs at “the Masjid on Luzerne,” referring to the Muslim American Society of Philadelphia. Nolen replied, “LAA,” to which his friend responded, “oh you not in Philadelphia.” “I JST WANT TO SAY AS AN MUSLIM WE DNT CELEBRATE AMERIKAS HOLIDAYS,” he...

A Barnado’s charity shop has been forced to close after the front was smashed during a party celebrating the death of Baroness Thatcher. A gaping hole was left in the window of the store in Brixton, south London, where around 150 people gathered for a street party following the news that Lady Thatcher had died of a stroke. Similar celebrations in Bristol left six police officers injured after an anti-Thatcher crowd turned violent and began throwing missiles at police.

Evidence collected by a young London-based organization called Human Rights Investigations indicates that when Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain went to Benghazi in April to express his support for Libyan rebels, he visited the site at which the rebels publicly beheaded an alleged pro-Gaddafi “mercenary” only weeks before. (Snip) In the video, the beheading victim can be seen suspended upside down in front of a burnt-out building. A crowd of hundreds is gathered around to watch; many of the spectators are filming the proceedings on mobile phones.

The paratroopers of C Co 2-505 Parachute Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne) celebrate the 4th of July at Patrol Base Olson in Samarra, Iraq -- halfway around the world from their home country.

Baghdad, July 5, 2008 – Servicemembers from all over Iraq gathered here today in the Al Faw Palace rotunda on Camp Victory, to re-enlist and celebrate America’s Independence Day. U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, commanding general, Multinational Force Iraq, reenlisted 1,215 U.S. servicemembers from all over Iraq July 4, 2008, during a ceremony in the Al Faw Palace rotunda at Camp Victrory in Baghdad. Photo by MNF-I Public Affairs  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. All 1,215 servicemembers celebrated by raising their right hand and pledging to continue defending the ‘land of the free’ in what is the largest...

LOS ANGELES – After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the United States gave a 90-day deadline to the Army and a little-known research lab in California to send up its own satellite. Seemingly against all odds, the project was completed in 84 days. On Jan. 31, 1958, a knot of rocket scientists and engineers waited anxiously as the satellite, Explorer 1, blasted into orbit, launching the U.S. into the space race. Historians see the 50th anniversary of Explorer 1 Thursday as a chance to go beyond the Reader's Digest version of events. “It's been cemented in all the popular accounts,”...

A band plays native Iraqi music as part of the Baghdad Day celebration, which was held at ZawraPark to honor the history of Baghdad, Nov. 17. This was the first time in nearly four years the celebration took place. Photo by Spc. Robert Yde, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. BAGHDAD — For the first time in nearly four years, residents from across Baghdad recently gathered together to honor their city’s heritage and celebrate the once-annual holiday known simply as Baghdad Day. The celebration, which was held at Zawra Park, featured music and art native to the...

FORT HUACHUCA — Germany is hosting soccer’s World Cup, but this Southern Arizona Army post has it own international tournament. The 27th Conseil International du Sport Militaire Volleyball Championships began on Saturday. A very small, Olympic-like opening ceremony was held on Bujalski Field outside Barnes Field House, the venue for the games between teams from nine nations. With military members from the post carrying signs identifying the nations, the teams marched on to part of the field, behind one of their members carrying their national flags. First to be announced was L’Allemagne — Germany. The others followed in alphabetical order...

SACRAMENTO -- Although officials are expressing concern that the energy crisis may return this summer, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Bush administration will stage a ceremony today to mark the easing of a north-south state transmission bottleneck that sparked blackouts three years ago. Officials on Monday called the project a landmark achievement, but they also disclosed that the Schwarzenegger administration has been forced to adopt dual plans for short- and long-term power development because Californians last summer already hit usage levels projected for 2006. Consumer groups, who protested Schwarzenegger's rejection of Democrat-sponsored energy legislation earlier this year, said today's ceremony...

Three centuries before Christ's birth, people celebrated 25 December, archaeologists claim By David Keys Archaelology Correspondent 24 December 2003 Archeologists say they have traced the origins of the first Christmas to be celebrated on 25 December, 300 years before the birth of Christ. The original event marked the consecration of the ancient world's largest sun god statue, the 34m tall, 200 ton Colossus of Rhodes. It has long been known that 25 December was not the real date of Christ's birth and that the decision to turn it into Jesus's birthday was made by Constantine, the Roman Emperor, in the...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Year's Eve revelers around the world partied amid tight security, but the celebrations were marred by a fireworks explosion in Mexico reported to have killed 15 people. Mayor Michael Bloomberg assured New Yorkers that Times Square, often called the crossroads of the world, would be secure for them to show up to watch the silver ball drop at the stroke of midnight. "I think you are perfectly safe to go out tonight and go to Times Square," he said in an interview on NBC television's "Today" program. "We have no credible threats from any terrorist...

Union leaders celebrated a federal appeals court's ruling yesterday that found employees at unionized companies cannot withhold the part of their union fees that pay for organizing drives, the New York Times reports. Under current law, even if workers decide not to join the union at their workplaces, they must still pay union fees, which are usually close to full union dues. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled that non-union workers have a right to withhold the portion of their payment used to finance political activity, or basically any money that's not directly related to collective bargaining on workers' behalf....