Free Republic

Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, invoked the ancient jaguar goddess Ixchel in her opening statement to delegates gathered in Cancun, Mexico, noting that Ixchel was not only goddess of the moon, but also "the goddess of reason, creativity and weaving. May she inspire you -- because today, you are gathered in Cancun to weave together the elements of a solid response to climate change, using both reason and creativity as your tools." "Excellencies, the goddess Ixchel would probably tell you that a tapestry is the result of the skilful interlacing of many threads,"...

A Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter has scrapped a scheduled appearance on Barbara Walter's "The View" because he doesn't want to be seen on the same stage as Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Barry Manilow told TMZ.com that he "strongly disagrees" with Hasselbeck's views and that she is "dangerous and offensive." This is the first time in the brief history of the show that a celebrity guest has demanded that one of the co-hosts be sidelined before a cameo appearance is made. Manilow, who has been on the show before – he even gave Hasselbeck a hug once – scrapped the visit because, he...

John Travolta has launched a bitter attack on a veteran BBC reporter over a Panorama film that exposes the methods used by Scientology and questions whether it is a "brainwashing cult". The Hollywood star has written to Corporation chiefs accusing journalist John Sweeney of venting "personal prejudices, bigotry and animosity" and harbouring "hatred against my religion Travolta also urges the BBC to halt the screening of the documentary tomorrow. The star's intervention is the latest in what Sweeney says is a campaign of intimidation since he embarked on his film, in which former Scientologists claim they were forced to cut...