Free Republic

As a rule, when I write a piece about all the mistakes my newspaper, the L.A. Times, makes, I have to wait a week or even two to compile a selection large enough to make it worth our while. It’s not that they don’t come up with a ready supply on a daily basis. Heck, UPS doesn’t deliver the goods with such regularity. But some of the goofs are simply too boring to mention, as when they get the days and times of certain events wrong or when they simply misspell someone’s name. Sometimes, too, the corrections run even longer...

Did you catch Carlos Santana's grand entrance at the Oscars? Well, the famed guitarist couldn't contain himself. He stopped for the photographers, smiled deliriously and swung his jacket open. TA-DA! There it was: Carlos' elegantly embroidered Che Guevara T-shirt. Carlos' face as the flashbulbs popped said it all. "I'm so COOL!" he beamed. "I'm so HIP! I'm so CHEEKY! So SHARP! So TUNED IN!" Lest we get carried away with merely laughing at your stupidity, I'll pass along the thoughts from Cuban music legend Paquito D'Rivero. He wrote his recent letter to you in Spanish. "My command of English wouldn't...

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Carlos Santana speaks about the world like a benevolent visitor from outside. His views may be romantic and idealistic, but the guitarist is sincere. He was honored as the Latin Grammys person of the year Monday for his dedication to education, the fight against AIDS and other social endeavors. Santana, who won nine Grammys for his 1999 album "Supernatural," talked to The Associated Press about his political views, his upcoming CD and how to absorb accolades without arrogance.

The body of an American man who apparently had drowned was found Wednesday on the Mediterranean coast near the town of Rafah, on the Egyptian-Israeli border. The prosecutor's office in Rafah, which borders the Gaza Strip, said residents had found the body of Paul Edward Santana, 41, and an investigation and autopsy were underway. No further details were available. A spokesman for the US Embassy in Cairo confirmed an American man had been found drowned but was unable to give other details. Rafah residents told the Abu Dhabi satellite television channel that Santana appeared to have been shot in the...

Commando Solo II: Weapons of Mass Persuasion By Gunnery Sgt. Charles Portman, U.S. Central Command Public Affairs Office CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, QATAR, March 19, 2003 -- U.S. Special Operations personnel armed with broadcasting equipment and “the truth” are preparing the Iraqi people and military for a possible U.S.-led strike against Saddam Hussein.  “We call ourselves ‘weapons of mass persuasion,’ ” said Air Force Lt. Col. “Mike,” a Commando Solo II detachment commander. U.S. Central Command officials said the Commando Solo II effort may have played a role with the surrender of 17 Iraqi soldiers earlier today near the border of...

Carlos Santana Wants To Play Baghdad 'We should do concerts over there and show them that we can coexist,' he says. By Jon Wiederhorn Carlos Santana Photo: Arista In an era of suicide bombers and beltway snipers, Carlos Santana hopes to make a difference, converting all the rage into positive, flowing energy. "There's a lot of sickness in this planet, especially with people shooting one another for no reason," Santana said. "There's anger, fear and molestation. There's so much sickness [that] I want to remind listeners that ... everyone has goodness in them. And to me it's important to heal...