Free Republic

Valero Energy Corp. dropped another $3 million into the Proposition 23 campaign, according to campaign finance filings reported Friday to the Secretary of State. The Texas-based oil company has contributed more than $4 million to the initiative, which would suspend California's landmark greenhouse gas emissions reduction law until the state unemployment rate drops to 5.5 percent for four consecutive quarters. Tesoro Corp., another oil company based in Texas, has also contributed more than $500,000 to the campaign.

WASHINGTON – Nicole Kidman conceded Wednesday that Hollywood has probably contributed to violence against women by portraying them as weak sex objects. The Oscar-winning actress said she is not interested in those kinds of demeaning roles, adding that the movie industry also has made an effort to contribute to solutions for ending the violence. Kidman testified before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee that is considering legislation to address violence against women overseas through humanitarian relief efforts and grants to local organizations working on the problem. Asked by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., if the movie industry has "played a bad role,"...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2007 – A major reason for the mounting success of anti-insurgent operations in Iraq is that rank-and-file soldiers and their leaders trust and believe in one another, a senior U.S. military officer said today. Trust flowing down “from our higher headquarters through the general officer leadership all the way down to the squad leader (is) making the difference,” Army Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo, commander of the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, said during a conference call with online reporters and “bloggers.” The emergence of successful neighborhood watch programs manned by concerned Iraqi citizens is a...

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2006 – No job is too lowly or inconsequential if it contributes to the overall mission, and it's up to leaders to ensure their people know the importance of their contribution, a senior Army leader said yesterday. Army Brig. Gen. Stephen D. Mundt, director of Army aviation, shared his insights after being asked his thoughts about some Army aviators frustrated that they're pulling non-flying duties during their deployments. His response applies not just to aviators, he said, but to troops across the board. The long war on terror requires that troops need to do the job that's...