Free Republic

The Federal Reserve is pushing back against mounting criticism of the central bank, even as those pushing for reforms ratchet up their attacks. Fed officials have in recent weeks met in private with staffers from both parties, focusing primarily on the Senate, according to sources familiar with the meetings. Meanwhile, Chairwoman Janet Yellen and other Fed officials have publicly sounded off against a proposal championed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-K.Y.) that would give Congress more sway over the bank. The uptick in outreach from the independent agency signals an effort to quell calls for significant changes at the Fed and...

<p>With Bernanke gone, the remaining Fed members knowing full well they will be crucified, metaphorically of course (if not literally) when it all inevitably comes crashing down, are finally at liberty with their words... and the truth is bleeding out courtesy of the president of the Dallas Fed, via Bloomberg.</p>

President Obama, speaking to Al Sharpton's organization, says he is not "out of touch." "I remember that," Obama added. "I'm just going to be honest with you. There's not much we can do next week or two weeks from now," Obama said earlier today about gas prices.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that Iran has the ability to launch a ballistic missile capable of hitting sections of eastern and southern Europe.

Saving ancient Angkor from modern doomsdayScientists warning on pumping water for tourist hotels Ker Munthit, Associated Press Sunday, February 17, 2008 (02-17) 04:00 PST Siem Reap, Cambodia -- By destroying vast tracts of forest to enlarge their farm land, inhabitants of the wondrous city of Angkor lit the fuse to an ecological time bomb that spelled doom for what was once the world's largest urban area. So believe archaeologists engaged in groundbreaking research into the ancient civilization of Angkor. And they are warning that history could repeat itself through reckless, headlong pursuit of dollars from tourists flocking to see Angkor's...

Businesses would receive a tax credit equal to 10 percent of what they spend each year to improve the fitness of their employees -- everything from building on-site workout rooms to subsidizing health club memberships -- under a bill pending in the state Assembly. The measure also would allow employers to claim the same credit for half the cost of hiring a person or company to provide nutritional advice, yoga instruction or substance-abuse prevention. "We're trying to help people get into healthy, active lifestyles to prevent them from needing the hospital in the first place," said the bill's author, Assemblyman...

Why are they pumping all that extremely toxic contaminated water into Lake Pontchetrain(sp)? The toxic contaminates are contained behind the levies... pre-treat it there before pumping it out into the uncontaminated environment...What is their damned hurry?? New Orleans has been evacuated and for all intents and purposes destroyed; it will be years before it "MIGHT" be rebuilt.I live in Buffalo NY about 20 miles from Love Canal, New Orleans has become a huge Love Canal and now they're blindly pumping toxins into the rest of the Mississippi Delta and eventually the Delta ground water.What a pathetic knee-jerk decision.

<p>AL OUJA, Iraq - Saddam Hussein, dressed in a greasy blue jumpsuit, spends his afternoons pumping gas at this sleepy village's service station, just south of his hometown of Tikrit.</p> <p>Or at least that's how it looks to visiting motorists who pull in for a fill-up and quickly do a double take at Mohammed Hussein Daoud, with his unmistakeable heavy jowls, bushy mustache and big dark sunglasses.</p>