Free Republic

Blanco: Netherlands trip could help with future flood protection U. S. Congressman, William Jefferson, D-La., right, pauses during a press event at Kurhaus in Scheveningen, the Netherlands, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006. At left are, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., center. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski) BATON ROUGE, La. Governor Kathleen Blanco says a trip to the Netherlands to study the flood control systems for the below sea-level nation showed Louisiana officials engineering marvels that could be used in future flood protection for the New Orleans area. Blanco returned a day earlier from her visit to the country...

I got a question for more learned amongst the Free Republic faithful. I've been attempting to locate email addresses for numerous senators and congressmen. I discovered, to my chagrine and anger, that the House and Senate websites will only let me post an email to my congressman or senator only, and one no else. Perhaps I can see some logic in doing this, but when a person has the desire to email more than just one person abnout a certain issue it makes it impossible to do so. I just wondered if anyone out there has encountered this issue and...

In one of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels, I remember Sergey Golovko (I think) telling Jack Ryan that "girl children are God's curse on men for being men". Does anybody remember which book had that quote? Bonus question: What page? Thanks!!

just curious; how would one even begin to learn about running for local public office????

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2006 – Establishing democracy to replace the tyranny Iraqis endured under Saddam Hussein will assist in defeating terrorists operating there and elsewhere, President Bush said today in Louisville, Ky. Long-term victory against global terrorists will be achieved "by defeating the hopelessness and despair that these killers exploit, with a system that is open and hopeful," Bush said during a question-and-answer session following his remarks given at the Kentucky International Convention Center. "And the only such system is a free system," Bush said. Bush said he has confidence in the ability of the world's peoples to practice self-government....

The newly constructed Kovak Primary School sits on a prominent hillside overlooking the entry gate to the city of Dohuk, Iraq. Photo by Derek Walker, Gulf Region North, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Primary School Will Help Mold Iraq's Future School is now complete and ready to house 36 teachers and about 825 students. By Claude D. McKinney Gulf Region North, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers DAHUK, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2006 — Within a community, the activities occurring in two specialized types of buildings hold great sway and influence for the residents of the community – they are...

Last night, I received a phone call from "Citizens United" and they played a message from their founder (I forget his name.) They specifically want to stop certain persons from voicing negativity about our troops: Sen. Clinton and John Kerry, by name. I want to know if any of you FReepers out there can tell me about this group. I asked them to send info via mail and e-mail but I did make a pledge. OOPS! My FReeper check is in the mail...

Midlife Conundrum How does it happen? You marry your High School sweetheart, get a dependable job, do all the “right things”, and you still get a nagging feeling that something about you is dieing? I shouldn’t feel this way. I am blessed beyond what I deserve. I have smart, beautiful, healthy kids. I have a wife that loves me. I am a respected member of my community, and yet I feel in a rut. Two thoughts come to mind….First one is call the “Whaaaambulance”, suck it up, and quit whining. Problem with that is that the "dieing in a rut"...

After many months of not being able to login to FR from my west Texas server, everything now seems to be okay. For many months, whenever I typed in my user name and password at FR and clicked on the "Log In" button, I got only a "dead" response from the server. After trying MANY things, i.e., reformatting, changing my op system, and even changing PCs, I finally wrote to my ISP asking if they had the FR site blocked. After checking, my ISP decided the problem was their "Intrusion Detection" (software?) which was blocking perl script access. The problem...

Folks, Due to last minute circumstances I am on a Metro North train headed up north..the party has started already.. how long will it last? I won't be back in NYC untill 3:40..is this too late? Anybody have firebrand's cell num? (don't post private msg only) would love to come but if too late :-(

Sometimes you get to wondering about emails you receive -- especially in the political blogsphere. One email which ended up in my inbox has got me to thinking: Is this a legitimate email, a plea for help from genuine Iranian dissidents, some crazy rant/fatwa by Islamists, or yet another in a string of Internet scams? I've been receiving emails over the last month from "goftare nik" (moslem11@gmail.com) which is addressed to hamahd19@yahoo.com, a mailing list which must somehow contain my own email address. The subject line of the email is "(( raahbare mellate iran agha pro.ebrahim mirzaie))," which obviously pertains...

Georgia Guard Troops Help Ailing Iraqi Teen Soldiers from the 48th Brigade Combat Team arranged for an ailing Iraqi teen to be evaluated at a combat support hospital and then transfered to Baghdad for additional treatment. By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Britt Smith 48th Brigade Combat Team CAMP ADDER, AN NASIRIYAH, Iraq, Jan. 6, 2006 — In the middle of a country where medical care is tough to come by, a new bond was recently forged between Georgia’s Army National Guard soldiers and local Iraqi citizens. Ibitisam Hameed Kassar, a 17-year-old Iraqi girl from the An Nasiriyah area, was...

Can someone please post the original text, or a link to the text, of the Washington Post's original "12 miners alive" story from Wednesday morning? Thanking you in advance.

Trouble getting set up with new precription drug programs although signed up and have cards but druggist are unable to get confirmation from insurers. Healthnet

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2006 – Soldiers from the California National Guard helped rescue torrential flood victims last weekend while working in tandem with civilian firefighters and swift-water rescuers. Capt. David Marciano of the Russian River Fire Department in Guerneville, Calif., said the guardsmen were "indispensable." "There's no other way to describe what they did," he said. "We don't know how we'd have managed without them." Northern California was wracked with weekend flooding that threatened life and property. Water crested to nearly six feet deep, rendering cars useless and roads non-traversable, Marciano noted. California National Guard headquarters was placed on alert...

I have lost the bookmark on a thread some wise old sage started here....and subsequently lost it. Would some kind FR soul please direct me to an HTML primer so I can remember how to post pics and equally obnoxious spam...? Pretty please?

I am looking at buying the computer linked below and need some feedback. I'm not very computer savy. I only use the computer for browsing the web and email. My son took a look at this computer and he stated it had enough power for him to play his online games when he comes to visit. I would appreciate any feedback or information. Thanks!

FReepers, as you may probably know, I was involved in a car crash that resulted in the demise of my beloved companion, a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix SE. Sadly, the insurance adjustor has determined that my most dearly loved mode of transportation cannot be repaired at a cost of less than its market value, wherefore they are offering a buyout so that I can purchase another vehicle. Insurance will not compensate unless they receive my TITLE, so seeking 2nd opinions from independent body shops is not an option. Anyway, before entering the dangerous jungle of the used car market with...

I am a high school student and have received information to attend both the National Student Leadership Conference, and the Congressional Student Leadership Conference. Does anyone know how these conferences rate? Liberal? Conservative? I would like to go to a leadership conference but I don't want to waste my time or money at a liberal propaganda conference. Please Help! Thanks.

Here's a picture of a spider that I found under my baker's rack awhile ago--I can't identify it though...was hoping some of the wonderful folks here might be able to help. If it's a garden spider, we'll do a release into the back yard garden, but I have a 5 y/o and I don't want to take a chance that it's a dangerous spider. Anyone got an idea what this might be?