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USCCB Head Writes President Bush On Supreme Court Vacancy WASHINGTON (July 6, 2005)—Spokane Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has written to President Bush about “the qualities that I hope you would contemplate” as Mr. Bush considers the appointment of a successor to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who announced her retirement from the Supreme Court on July 1. In his letter, dated July 1, Bishop Skylstad wrote that “the legacy of a Supreme Court Justice is long and the influence of the Court on the life of the country and the...

WASHINGTON - Someone born next year who goes on to earn what the government considers a high-wage income could see his Social Security check replaced by the personal investment account President Bush has proposed, a congressional study says. Democrats said Wednesday that the study, which they commissioned from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, was troublesome because it illustrated how the accounts — invested in the stock market — might eventually eliminate Social Security's guaranteed checks. "President Bush says his plan is best for future generations, but this analysis shows how they would be the biggest losers. Our kids and grandkids...

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - He's running unopposed, but Mohamed ElBaradei may still fail in his bid for a third term leading the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, tripped by his main opponent, the United States. Unable to find a candidate willing to oppose the independent-minded Egyptian diplomat, Washington is now quietly lobbying other member states in ElBaradei's International Atomic Energy Agency in a bid to unseat him by June, opening the way for a replacement more to the Bush administration's liking - one harder on Iran and other nations on the U.S. nasty list. With the agency spearheading international attempts to...

Bernard Kerik accepts the NYPD commissioner's badge from outgoing commissioner Howard Safir last month, as Mayor Rudy Giuliani looks on.   So ponytailed Detective Bernard Kerik took to the streets as a homeless person. He stripped off his shoes and shirt and planted himself on a stoop. He sat for hours and watched, until he had seen enough to link an apartment building to the case.

Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik answers questions after speaking at the New York Republican State Committee 2004 Designation Meeting in Syracuse, NY in this May 19, 2004 file photo. December 02, 2004 8:38 AM PST WASHINGTON - As New York's police commissioner, Bernard Kerik became known after the Sept. 11 attacks as the fierce, sorrowful face of his reeling department. But the former undercover cop has been confronting danger for decades.His expertise as a crimefighter and his oversight of the NYPD's heroic efforts during the 2001 terrorist attacks earned him international fame and a role as a...

The purpose of FreeRepublic.com's multiple message boards is to limit the topics for each board to particular topics. Posting the same message on all the boards defeats the purpose of multiple-boards for special topics. It is very annoying to see the same message on every bulletin board. PLEASE! DO THE READERS A FAVOR. STOP CROSS-POSTING YOUR MESSAGES!

BALTIMORE (AP) — The president of the NAACP is stepping down as head of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights group, according to newspaper reports. Kweisi Mfume, who has been president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People since 1996, planned to make the announcement Tuesday, The (Baltimore) Sun, citing an anonymous source, reported in Tuesday editions. The resignation was also reported Tuesday in a USA Today opinions column by weekly contributor DeWayne Wickham. [flip]Last month, the NCAAP announced that the Internal Revenue Service was reviewing the organization's federal tax-exempt status. NAACP chairman Julian Bond said...

RICHMOND, Va. (Aug. 31) - Republicans selected state Del. Thelma Drake Tuesday to replace U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock on the November ballot, a day after he dropped out of the race amid claims that he is gay. The Republican Committee for Schrock's district gathered Tuesday to hastily vote for a nominee who could take on Democrat lawyer David B. Ashe in the Nov. 2 election. Drake, a real estate agent, is a reliable member of the state House's conservative GOP majority. Schrock, 63, a married retired Navy captain who was popular among conservatives, cited unspecified ''allegations'' for his surprise...

Front Page Story When the big hand says Thirteen Moon Calendar by Judi McLeod, Canadafreepress.com August 27, 2004 The United Nations, which has a finger in every global pie, and ambitions to take over the World Internet, is inching its way towards calendar reform. Long on lofty words and windy clauses, the official UN description for calendar reform is, "Calendar Reform and the Future of Civilization" (CRFC). Ostensibly, the UN rejected considering calendar reform in 1995 as part of its 50th anniversary. Within four years, UN officials were passing calendar duty over to lifetime activist for peace, Dr. José...

He's still from Jersey, but Gov. Piscopo? New York, NY, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Former "Saturday Night Live" regular Joe Piscopo is mulling a run for governor of New Jersey, the New York Daily News reported Thursday. Piscopo may be best known for his SNL character, Paulie the chemical plant worker, who asked everyone in sight, "I'm from Jersey... Are you from Jersey?" But for governor? The comic confirmed to the News "some prominent business guys" are trying to persuade him to run for governor. Piscopo would not identify them but said, "They've suggested I run as an independent. They...

<p>Shanghai -- Zhang Like, a nursing student at Shanghai's Medical University No. 2, loves going to the movies, sometimes three times a week. But most Chinese films are too staid for her -- and it's especially frustrating that some of the "most interesting parts" of Hollywood blockbusters get chopped out, while other Western films don't make it here at all.</p>