Free Republic

The Southern Baptist Convention announced Wednesday it has voted overwhelmingly to finalize the expulsion of two churches from the nation's largest Protestant denomination for having female pastors. And the vote wasn't even close, according to the SBC's tally. Spurred on by arch-conservatives in the SBC, the 12,000 or so "messengers" who had gathered at their annual meeting in New Orleans voted by a 9-to-1 margin to seal the exit of California's Saddleback Church and a smaller congregation in Kentucky. That vote, which was conducted Tuesday, set the stage for another vote Wednesday to amend the SBC's constitution to specify that...

"It was so fast," she said, when asked how large the otter was. "Maybe like a dog (in terms of size); short legs and very wet." On Wednesday, the city of Maitland posted flyers, warning visitors to keep their distance, to not feed wildlife and to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission if they spotted any aggressive otters.

PRISCILLA Presley says she is offended by suggestions there is something wacky about her family. Tabloid magazines this week labelled as "kooky kabuki" her daughter Lisa Marie's marriage to musician Michael Lockwood in Japan, with both wearing kimonos. "It does offend me," Presley told AAP in Sydney today. "It was not wacky in any sense of the word because you appreciate a culture and you appreciate tradition, that is wacky for somebody to say that." Lisa Marie and Lockwood exchanged vows in a traditional Japanese ceremony on January 22, both wearing traditional Japanese costumes. It was a fourth marriage for...

Senate Democrats are preparing to once again filibuster President Bush's judicial nominees despite efforts by Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.) to extend an olive branch in hopes of reconciling differences. Liberal Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) dismissed Specter's gesture Thursday and all but declared war on the nominees Bush resubmitted to the Senate last week. Hoping to avoid the so-called "nuclear" option that would change the Senate's filibuster rule, Specter said he would tackle the nomination of William Myers III to the 9th Circuit appeals court next Tuesday. Myers, by Specter's calculation, is only two votes shy of the 60...

Today the Senate is scheduled to vote on the motion to end the Democrats' filibuster of Texas Justice Pricilla Owen to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. This is the 3rd vote to end the Left's blockade of Justice Owen this year. Do you remember last year when the Democrats held the Senate majority? During those dark days, the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D.-Vt.), killed the Owen nomination in committee. At that time they thought they were done with her. A funny thing happened two months later that the Daschle Democrats didn't expect: the elections of...

MIDI - DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS The RATS opposed…Priscilla's hosed…they're getting mad in Texas Obstructionists…could not resist…they're getting mad in Texas Pat Leahy, scum…your time will come…they're getting mad in Texas Ted Kennedy…drunk, as you see…they're getting mad in Texas Joe Biden's there…with his doll hair…they're getting mad in Texas The witch Cantwell…can go to hell…they're getting mad in Texas Chuckie Schumer…smells like manure…they're getting mad in Texas Yes, all 10 suck…they'd better duck…they're getting mad in Texas