Free Republic

Although support for the older operating systems was due to end shortly, Microsoft has announced that it will be extended. Microsoft has extended support for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows ME. The software giant has extended support for the operating systems until 30 June, 2006. During that time paid over-the-phone support will be available, and "critical" security issues will be reviewed and "appropriate steps" taken. Support for the Windows 98 family of operating systems was scheduled to end on Friday, with support for Windows ME due to expire in December this year. "Microsoft made this decision to assist...

<p>THE FLAP over two political ads comparing President George W. Bush to Adolf Hitler, which were submitted to a "Bush in 30 Seconds" contest sponsored by the liberal MoveOn.org Voter Fund and were briefly hosted on the group's website, has gotten a lot of press (courtesy of outraged Republicans). Unfortunately, this is only one in a rich crop of Hitler and Nazi analogies littering the landscape of so-called public discourse these days. And this particularly vile rhetorical device is, alas, an equal-opportunity offense. There is a lot of back-and-forth between Republicans and Democrats on whether MoveOn bears any responsibility for the ads (one of which cuts back and forth between images of Bush and Hitler, using alleged quotes from Bush and a soundtrack from a Hitler speech). Conservatives portray this as a scandal exemplifying the degree to which the Democratic opposition has been hijacked by hate-filled loony radicals. Liberals counter that the real scandal is the right's brazen distortion of the facts.</p>

Friends Working to Free Captain Michael Scott Speicher will be holding a Candlelight Vigil at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on January 17, 2004 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Canada's new security minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan told Washington that Canada would "support the US in any way we can," her spokeswoman Farah Mohamed said. US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge called McLellan, who has been in the job nine days, to give her details of the latest US nationwide terrorist alert, the spokeswoman said. Ridge did not ask McLellan to make any changes to Canadian security efforts in the wake of the new heightened alert in the United States, Mohamed said. Nevertheless, the Canadian minister has asked officials to review the nation's security procedures to make...

The Anti-Father Police State December 23, 2003 by Stephen Baskerville, Ph.D. Columnist Cathy Young is known for her even-handed attempts to cut through the pretensions of both the left and right. She has also shown considerable courage by delving into what for many journalists is a no-go zone: divorce and fathers' rights. So it is a little awkward to find myself cast as one of her combatants, with my own views and others' whom I typify characterized as "extreme." In the December issue of Reason magazine, Young sorts out, with her customary balance, a debate between proponents of Clinton-Bush family...

Christmas In America My fellow Americans, It’s that most wonderful time of the year. With the onset of Christmas and Hanukkah, hundreds of millions of Americans will gather with family and friends to celebrate these most Holy days. As we honor the traditions of the holiday season, it’s important that we take the opportunity to realize just how blessed we are - not only because of the fulfilling spirit we derive from our faith, but because here in America we have a right to exercise our faith without fear of government oppression or mandate. This freedom is a blessing...

Ex-Nicaragua Leader Voices Saddam Support Saturday December 20, 2003 2:31 AM By ISIDRO LOPEZ Associated Press Writer MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Saddam Hussein still has at least one friend abroad: Former Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega expressed support for the ousted Iraqi leader, saying Friday it would be a ``barbarity'' to force him to stand trial under U.S. occupation. Ortega, the leader of the Soviet-backed Sandinista government that governed Nicaragua in the 1980s, said a trial for Saddam would only be appropriate if Iraqis overthrew him. ``We maintain our solidarity with the Iraqi people and with Saddam Hussein, who continues to...

<p>NOW again it’s Christmas. We’re all busy spending on our loved ones, our families and, most especially, our children.</p> <p>In particular this is the children’s festival. The time when a kind old man will slip down a chimney or slide down a roof and bring joy to your child — FATHER Christmas.</p>

SOUTH KOREA, US Talk on Speedy Troop Dispatch By Shim Jae-yoon and Seo Soo-min, Staff Reporters --15 December 2003 (Hankook Ilbo Daily, Seoul, Korea)The (S. Korean) government, driven by the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, started consultations with the United States in order to speed up the dispatch of troops to Iraq. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday (Dec. 15) called S. Korean Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Yoon Young-kwan to say that the capture of Saddam Hussein will positively influence South Korea's dispatch of troops to Iraq. In the telephone call made early in the morning,...

A Tribute to our Troops & I think it says it all!! http://www.neilford.com/supportourtroops/indexhi.htm

Less than half show support for EU By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels (Filed: 09/12/2003) Less than half the population in the European Union's member states now support the EU project, according to polling results yesterday. The latest Eurobarometer to be released this week found that just 48 per cent of EU citizens viewed membership as a "good thing", down from 54 per cent last spring. Britain was by far the most negative state, with positive feelings tumbling to 28 per cent, but even the French were below half for the first time after months of battles with Brussels over tax...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stormed onto a Valley Plaza mall parking lot Thursday afternoon, backed by a blaring rock-and-roll soundtrack. The classic anthem by Queen, "We Will Rock You," roared out over the crowd six times and chants of "Arnold, Arnold" rose and faded away. A loud cheer burst from the crowd when the movie star-turned governor finally swept up to the podium just before 1 p.m. "Thank you," Schwarzenegger told the crowd. "You flexed your muscles and you made me governor." Schwarzenegger said he came to Bakersfield to ask the estimated crowd of 5,000 to exercise its political power for...

Kucinich headlines Muslim fund-raiserCAIR group tied to Hamas, Islamist goals Posted: November 30, 200311:50 p.m. Eastern © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com Dennis Kucinich WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich headlined a fund-raiser for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a group with ties to the Mideast terrorist organization Hamas and an agenda for an Islamic USA. CAIR announced its national fund-raising campaign had topped its goal of $1 million thanks in part to the standing-room-only banquet Saturday evening attended by more than 1,000 people, including Kucinich and Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va. "We would like to thank all those who helped us reach our fundraising...

HELP SUPPORT OUR TROOPS - GO TO: http://www.supportourtroopsiniraq.com The VETERAN, not the preacher, gave us freedom of religion. The VETERAN, not the reporter, gave us freedom of the press. The VETERAN, not the poet, gave us freedom of speech. The VETERAN, not the campus organizer, gave us freedom to assemble. The VETERAN, not the lawyer, gave us the right to a fair trial. The VETERAN, not the politician, gave us the right to vote. The VETERAN, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. Written by...

Santa's helpers stuff for soldiers Mary Dewey, left, and Susan Crenshaw put Christmas stockings together for soldiers deployed to the Middle East from Fort Huachuca. Santa's helpers gave their time to put 1,400 stockings together. (Ed Honda-Herald/Review) FORT HUACHUCA -- A group of Santa helpers were busy Friday, stuffing stockings and packaging 1,400 of them to be mailed to post soldiers serving in some of the world's hot spots like Iraq and Afghanistan.The majority of the soldiers deployed from the fort are with the 11th Signal Brigade, although there are soldiers from the intelligence community and other functions on the...

London (CNSNews.com) - Protests geared up in London in advance of President Bush's arrival in the British capital on Tuesday, while an opinion poll indicated that larger public opinion in the country is pro-American. About 14,000 police officers will be on the streets this week in one of Britain's biggest-ever security operations. The president and first lady will be staying as guests of the queen at Buckingham Palace from Tuesday evening until Friday. Meetings in London will be followed by a trip to Prime Minister Tony Blair's home district in northern England. Security concerns were raised on Monday night when...

Rush is back on the air Monday – just as he promised. And a NewsMax online survey taken over the past month shows that his audience can’t wait for his return to the airwaves and will embrace him more than ever. In the largest online survey ever conducted by NewsMax.com – more than 251,000 have voted so far – we discovered that Americans are backing Rush to the hilt. Despite a barrage of negative press that began with a cover story in the National Enquirer in early October, Rush’s audience is sticking with him. Asked if they "support Rush Limbaugh,"...

Show your support for our brave military in yet another meaningful way. Donate your frequent flyer miles to pay for round-trip airfare for our troops returning back to US soil for R&R or emergency leave. United Airlines is one of the participating airlines: http://www.united.com/press/detail/0,1442,51434,00.html Go here for complete details: http://www.heromiles.org Pass it on... :)

Mystery-ak's Mike is due home today for a two week RR. That time is being extended because they were "his kids" that were shot down yesterday in the helicopter. They'll be busy visiting families of the crash members. Let's show this couple some good ol' FR support. Add comments, graphics, music. Ping your friends. (Don't ping mystery-ak, "The "do NOT disturb" sign is already placed on their door; they'll be busy ;~))

The writer and his wife live in LA and both work for Uncle Sam. A Day at Baltimore Airport Dear Friends and Family, I hope that you will spare me a few minutes of your time to tell you about something that I saw on Monday, October 27. I had been attending a conference in Annapolis and was coming home on Sunday. As you may recall, Los Angeles International Airport was closed on Sunday, October 26, because of the fires that affected air traffic control. Accordingly, my flight, and many others, were canceled and I wound up spending a night...