Free Republic

Congressional Republicans named six conservative opponents of tax increases to President Obama's debt commission Friday, and the panel now only awaits House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's picks before it can get started. The panel's recommendations, which are not binding on Congress, are due by Dec. 1. Republicans named Sens. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Mike Crapo of Idaho and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and Reps. Dave Camp of Michigan, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Jeb Hensarling of Texas to serve on the 18-member commission, and several of them said they would push for spending cuts rather than tax increases to try...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Education and business leaders urged an overhaul of the U.S. school system, including ending high school at the 10th grade for many students. Current teaching is failing to prepare young Americans for the global economy, members of a bipartisan panel said Thursday. Beginning teachers should earn more, according to the group, and money for this idea could come from the scrapping of conventional teacher pension plans in favor of other benefits such as 401(k)s. "People have got to understand what we've got is not working. It's not working for kids, but it's not working for teachers either,"...

LONDON (Reuters) - UK advertising regulators signaled a weariness of the double entendre used by French Connection to sell its FCUK brand and warned the clothing chain again, this time over a promotion for its line of fragrances. In an ad placed for French Connection by Zirh International in the Boots pharmacy chain's magazine, a picture of a young couple sitting on a bed in their underwear included fold-out samples of perfume with the phrases "open here to try fcuk her" and "open here to try fcuk him." Though it received just two complaints, the UK's self-regulatory Advertising Standards Authority...

08/17/04 A Brighter Commission By Waldemar Ingdahl Since the forming of the European Union, the Berlin-Paris axis has been a very powerful force for driving the organization in the direction of increased governmental power. This certainly did not change in 1995 when Sweden, Austria and Finland joined the bloc; rather Berlin-Paris got continued support. But since May 1 the EU has changed, more considerably than previously envisioned by the members of "Old Europe". A good sign of this is the case is the new European Commission appointed by incoming President José Manuel Durão Barroso. One of the main problems in...

The relationships between Berger, Wilson, and Clarke.

Am I reading this right? These paragraphs are from a Reuter’s on Yahoo news: "The conclusion of the commission staff report, released last Wednesday, contradicted Bush administration contentions before and after the U.S.-led war on Iraq. The president argued a connection with al Qaeda constituted an unacceptable threat to the United States. "Some officials, including Cheney, suggested an Iraqi role in the Sept. 11 attacks. Bush later ruled out that possibility, but many Americans still believe it and critics have accused the administration of misleading the public." Is it just me or do they ring with untruth? For instance,...

British High Commission in Kenya to close until further notice. More soon. Also viewed on Sky News (UK) "Embassy Closed indefintely while threat investigated"