Free Republic

He's having serious heart surgery tomorrow, good docs, and he's otherwise in good shape, but any prayers for him and the med teams are appreciated.

A threat made Friday that mentioned U.S. Sen. Susan Collins forced several schools from Machias to Bangor and Aroostook County into a “soft lockdown.” School remained in session, but no one could enter or leave the buildings without authorization. A business in Orono received the threat Friday morning through a “vague, email message,” according to Orono High School Principal Reg Ruhlin. Scott Porter, the superintendent of Machias schools, said the threat specified Collins and listed high schools in Bangor, Brewer, East Millinocket, Caribou, Houlton, Madawaska, Jonesport, Machias and Harrington. School districts did not see the actual message, according to Brewer...

If you’re looking to keep up with Maine author Stephen King on Facebook, don’t bother. He isn’t there anymore. King tweeted Friday night that he is quitting Facebook. A search for his page on Facebook Saturday morning came up empty. King said on Twitter he is “not comfortable with the flood of false information that’s allowed in its political advertising.” He also expressed doubts over Facebook’s ability to protect users’ privacy. Facebook said last month that it would not ban or fact-check political ads, a position that has drawn criticism.

Face masks are in short supply in parts of the world as people try to stop the spread of a new virus from China. Health officials recommend strap-on medical masks for people being evaluated for the new virus, their household members and caregivers. Masks can block large droplets from sneezes and coughs, and that’s how viruses spread from person to person.

Video at link.

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP/VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE and AMERICA: Government, Family, Military, Business, Education, Churches, and the Media. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Religion Forum threads labeled "Prayer" are closed to debate of any kind.

The Ottoman Empire was once among the biggest military and economic powers in the world. So what happened?At its peak in the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire was one of the biggest military and economic powers in the world, controlling an expanse that included not just its base in Asia Minor but also much of southeastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The empire controlled territory that stretched from the Danube to the Nile, with a powerful military, lucrative commerce, and impressive achievements in fields ranging from architecture to astronomy. But it didn’t last. Though the Ottoman Empire persisted for...

Almaty. February 3. KazTAG - Several serious leaks of coronavirus occurred in 2014-2017 from the laboratories in China, reports the National Geographic. “Back in 2017, international experts drew attention to the low security level in the Chinese laboratories. They indicated that several serious unauthorized leaks of the SARS coronavirus occurred from Chinese laboratories during 2014-2017, ” reads the report. The publication clarifies that the laboratory in Wuhan was certified as a lab meeting the BSL-4 safety standards and criteria. “The first BSL-4 laboratory in Japan, for example, was built in 1981, but until 2015 did not work with pathogens due...

Dear John: I’m 93 going on 94, and a combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. I am alone. My wife is gone and my children are all married, but help as often as they can. I went to the Capital One office in Nutley, New Jersey, to cancel my account. The representative wanted to help me keep my credit card. I said “no,” but he kept putting words in my mouth. I said “cancel.” I made no charges, and paid off the amount due prior to the visit. It keeps charging me interest, etc. L.K.

The husband, from San Benito County, California, recently traveled to Wuhan, China, the center of the virus' outbreak, and apparently passed the disease to his wife, who did not go to China. Both 57, neither has been hospitalized, but they have also not left their home. The couple's diagnosis brings the total number of positive cases in the United States to 11. The ninth case in the country, in Santa Clara County, California, was announced Sunday afternoon. The other human-to-human transmission was also between a husband and wife and was announced last week in Illinois.

A large Turkish military convoy rumbled into rebel-held areas of northwest Syria on Sunday, witnesses on the ground and activists said. Separately, airstrikes on a rebel-held village in Syria’s northwest killed at least seven people, opposition activists said. Elsewhere, rebel shelling killed a woman and wounded at least three journalists, Syrian state TV reported. The violence and troop movements came amid a Syrian government offensive into the country’s last rebel stronghold, located in Idlib province and parts of the nearby Aleppo region. Turkish troops are deployed in some of those rebel-held areas to monitor a cease-fire that has since collapsed....

One of the most beloved country duets of the 1980s, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard’s “Pancho and Lefty” is among the 2020 inductees to the Grammy Hall of Fame. This No. 1 hit, recorded in 1982 and released in 1983, was written by Townes Van Zandt, who appears several times throughout the video. (That’s him at the one-minute mark.) Nelson and Haggard had never heard the song until Nelson’s daughter, Lana, suggested it. At a time when music videos were brand new, with CMT and TNN both debuting in 1983, this cinematic clip helped propel the captivating story song to...

For some voters, a single issue does much to spur them to either accept or reject a politician's entire platform. Where a candidate stands on hot-button topics, which can include gun control, climate change, or funding our military, matters. Unsurprisingly, abortion is one of the most divisive subjects carefully weighed by the engaged members of the electorate. The Democratic Party collectively favors abortion as a "woman's right to choose." To them, the issue is one that concerns the personal freedom of a woman. On the other hand, the Republican Party is largely against abortion. For the GOP, abortion is about...

During the height of tensions with Iran last year, the United States conducted an unprecedented series of war games. Over five months, from May until the end of September, 93 separate military exercises were held, with forces operating continuously in, above and around 29 countries.

President Donald Trump aired a campaign ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday featuring Alice Johnson, whose life sentence for nonviolent drug offenses was commuted by Trump in June 2018. In the ad, Trump touted his criminal justice reform record and featured footage from the emotional moments when Johnson was released from prison and reunited with her family.

Jeb Bush @JebBush Best Super Bowl half time show ever.

Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game and a fantastic comeback under immense pressure. We are proud of you and the Great State of Missouri. You are true Champions!

The Wuhan coronavirus spreading from China is now likely to become a pandemic that circles the globe, according to many of the world’s leading infectious disease experts. The prospect is daunting. A pandemic — an ongoing epidemic on two or more continents — may well have global consequences, despite the extraordinary travel restrictions and quarantines now imposed by China and other countries, including the United States. Scientists do not yet know how lethal the new coronavirus is, however, so there is uncertainty about how much damage a pandemic might cause. But there is growing consensus that the pathogen is readily...

The leader of Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula claiming responsibility for the terrorist attack in Pensacola, Florida December 6th that killed three and wounded eight at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. AQAP's leader Qassim al-Rimi made an audio speech saying the group was behind the shooting attack carried out by Saudi Air Force Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani. Alshamrani shot dead by police. Officials like Pensacola Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz and Attorney General William Barr have characterized the attack as a "terrorist attack" but both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Trump have not described it as a "terrorist attack"........

Post #28. With so many rats running for president in 2020 it's hard to keep up with who's in and who's out. Hopefully, this post will help. This thread will be posted each week, likely on Monday, with the dropouts from the previous week and newly declared candidates noted. Below is a list of declared candidates and their occupation. Below that is a list of dropouts, their occupation and the date they dropped from the race. Dropout(s) in the past week: Pretty quiet week with all the impeachment stuff going on. No dropouts. Newly declared candidates from last week: Thankfully,...