Free Republic

<p>Minnesota is one signature away from a major overhaul of its handgun laws following the Senate's approval of a long-sought gun bill Monday.</p> <p>Gov. Tim Pawlenty has said he'll sign the measure, which would make Minnesota the 35th state to adopt a law requiring sheriffs to give handgun permits to most law-abiding adults who seek them.</p>

<p>Steve Sousa may be the only smoker in Eastern Massachusetts looking forward to May 5, the day the city of Boston bans smoking in all public places.</p> <p>The Woburn pool-hall owner is hoping that the new smoking ban in Boston, and the likelihood that Somerville and Cambridge will follow suit shortly thereafter, will save his business, Silver Cue Billiards and Game Room.</p>

click to the link for the live feed of the Minnesota Senate. It's being discussed right now. The button for the live feed is the yellow button on the left side. http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/media/

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

BAGHDAD - A funny thing happened on the way home from Iraq this week: I found myself scoffing at the rear-echelon soldiers for how little they knew about war. About the real war, the one I had experienced, with enemy AK-47 rounds buzzing over your head and the smell of burning flesh and metal filling your nose. About enduring four weeks on the front lines, sleeping in open foxholes you'd dug to avoid shrapnel in the night. About looking terrible, smelling worse, and seeing people die. Where were the headquarters Johnnies then, I smugly asked myself this week as I...

Welcome to the Troop Prayer Thread! We gather here together in the belief that "whereever two or more are gathered in my name, there am I," and that by the grace of God, group prayer effort can be a great force for good in the world. We are listing here members of the active armed services known to us for whom we want to pray. We have been keeping track of the Captured/MIAs here for prayer purposes. By God's grace, our and the world's prayers have been answered regarding the return of our POWs! We continue to hold vigil for...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Axel Koester for The New York Times Albert Ahdoot and Alyx Sachs have operated the e-mail marketing business NetGlobalMarketing in Los Angeles for about a year. Alyx Sachs is no longer sending people e-mail offering to "fix your credit risk free." Confronted by an increasing number of individuals, businesses and Internet service providers using software meant to identify and discard unwanted junk e-mail — commonly known as spam — Ms. Sachs has been forced to become more creative in her marketing pitches. The subject line on her credit e-mail, for example, now reads "get a fresh start." From a...

The Pope sent a coded rebuke to Washington yesterday when he urged Iraqis to take charge of rebuilding their country while working closely with the international community. In the Vatican's diplomatic lexicon, the phrase "international community" normally refers to the UN. Before the conflict started, Pope John Paul II vigorously opposed the US-led assault and advocated resolution of the crisis in the UN general assembly. "With the support of the international community," the 82-year-old pontiff declared in his 25th Easter message, "may the Iraqi people become the protagonists of their collective rebuilding of their country." The speech appeared aimed at...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Congressman predicts leadership change in US DETROIT - The United States may now be battling to topple the regime of Iraq's Saddam Hussein. But President Bush will have a surprise of his own when his own regime is toppled, a Michigan U.S. Rep. said Saturday. Lambasting the administration, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., told a crowd of cheering and freezing anti-war protesters in downtown Detroit the current war with Iraq is not "only unconstitutional, it is immoral." "Well, George Bush, on November 2, 2004, there will be the biggest regime change you have ever seen," Conyers said, jokingly saying...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Seems like in the past few days the mission of the Canteen has been forgotten. USO CANTEEN FREEPER STYLE MISSION STATEMENTShowing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. The most blatant offense of the above statement was at the end of a thread the other day that had to be deleted.An active duty FReeper had come in to tell us the latest about his wife and soon to be baby.When he said he liked a certain thread he was insulted by someone...

(AgapePress) - Christian students who openly opposed a pro-homosexual event at their Wisconsin public school met stiff resistance from school officials. The Gay Straight Alliance Club at Evansville High School recently held a "Day of Silence" to protest alleged discrimination against homosexuals. The club was permitted to advertise the event through posters, literature, and on the school intercom. The school even provided them with a "safe room" to sit in if they felt they were being harassed during the day. But a group of Christian students who countered the Day of Silence by praying and sharing Bible verses in the...

<p>HOULTON, Maine (AP) Eleven American flags have recently been slashed or stolen from homes and businesses in this small northern Maine town, police said.</p> <p>Seven of the flags were slashed Thursday at random locations throughout Houlton, apparently with a knife or razor, said Police Chief Daniel Soucy.</p>

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...

Dear Lord, There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore. We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong, we pray You send him safely home ... for he's been away so long. There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride. Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride. We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong, we pray You send her safely home...