Free Republic

There is much talk about “the talk.” “Sean O’Reilly was 16 when his mother gave him the talk that most black parents give their teenage sons,” Denisa R. Superville of the Hackensack (NJ) Record tells us. Meanwhile, down in Atlanta: “Her sons were 12 and 8 when Marlyn Tillman realized it was time for her to have the talk,” Gracie Bonds Staples writes in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Leonard Greene talks about the talk in the New York Post. Someone bylined as KJ Dell’Antonia talks about the talk in The New York Times. Darryl Owens talks about the talk in...

The beloved American children's book character Curious George is breaking fast for Ramadan this year -- with chocolate-covered bananas, of course.The just-released children's book "It's Ramadan, Curious George" celebrates the Muslim holiday, teaching kids about the sacred month.It comes amid rising tensions fueled by worries about Islamist extremism and a heated presidential campaign during which Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States.US author Hena Khan "wanted to focus on the celebratory aspects" of Ramadan, so George attends family gatherings and accompanies his friend Kareem to a mosque to put together...

It all started when a massive volcano erupted, showering the land in a shroud of darkness. From that dark cloud in June of 1816, two of the most enduring horror icons were born: the Frankenstein Monster, and the modern interpretation of the Vampire–which ultimately resulted in Dracula. Born on the same night, both turn 200 years old this month. While that might all sound a little melodramatic, it’s actually totally accurate. In late 1815, a volcano called Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies had a massive eruption, which shifted weather patterns all throughout Asia and Europe. 1816 was known...

Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis talks the creation of Riri Williams, who will take over for Tony Stark There’s a new Iron Man. Well, Iron Man for now. She’s still working on the name. The events at the end of the comic book event series Civil War II will result in Tony Stark stepping out of the Iron Man suit and a new character, Riri Williams, taking over, Marvel tells TIME. (Note: Tony’s departure doesn’t mean you know the end to Civil War II yet.) Riri is a science genius who enrolls in MIT at the age of 15....

IN the summer of 1916, a young Oxford academic embarked for France as a second lieutenant in the British Expeditionary Force. The Great War, as World War I was known, was only half-done, but already its industrial carnage had no parallel in European history. “Junior officers were being killed off, a dozen a minute,” recalled J. R. R. Tolkien. “Parting from my wife,” he wrote, doubting that he would survive the trenches, “was like a death.”

audio 19:01 “Hacker's accessible arguments offer plenty to think about and should serve as a clarion call to students, parents, and educators who decry the one-size-fits-all approach to schooling.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A lively argument against the assumption that if the United States is to stay competitive in a global economy, our students require advanced training in mathematics.” —Kirkus Reviews “The Math Myth persuasively and satisfyingly debunks assertions about the practical value of requiring all students to master higher-level mathematics—and also points up the real harm caused by the Common Core standards and college-admission exams, which are constructed on...

The author of this book has been seen several times on various tee vee shows. Understand that the sales of this soon to be released tome are already soaring. If any here have had the opportunity to read it, please share your feelings. pro? con? informative? encouraging? I ask to due the fact the author was once entwined with the AP, NY Times, NRP and therefore must have some rust on his body of information.

"We don’t often question the typical world map that hangs on the walls of classrooms — a patchwork of yellow, pink and green that separates the world into more than 200 nations. But Parag Khanna, a global strategist, says that this map is, essentially, obsolete. Khanna is the author of the new book “Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization,” in which he argues that the arc of global history is undeniably bending toward integration. Instead of the boundaries that separate sovereign nations, the lines that we should put on our maps are the high-speed railways, broadband cables and shipping...

Two hikers who trekked their way to the abandoned bus made infamous by Chris McCandless, and then failed to make it back from their planned trip on time, were located safe and unhurt following air and ground searches, according to the National Park Service. On Saturday, search efforts began to find Michael Trigg, 25, of Lexington, South Carolina, and Theodore "Ted" Aslund, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia. Based on Facebook posts, the men planned a dayslong trip along the west side of Teklanika River. Their destination was an abandoned Fairbanks Transit bus. It's parked on a clearing along Stampede Trail, near...

Civil War movie. I saw this last night and I highly recommend it. I'm not a Civil War enthusiast nor do I claim to be an expert in either Civil War or wars in general. However, this movie moved me. "and that's all I have to say about that". :) (posting this in General/Chat. Don't want to break any rules or ruffle any feathers)

Piss Christ? Piss Koran! by Matthew Bracken Part One: Dark Till DawnMike Dolan came out of the subway, hit the sidewalk and set out down the west side of 6th Avenue with a purposeful stride. Midtown Manhattan never truly sleeps, particularly just before a Monday morning, but compared to what it would be like in a couple of hours, it was geared way down. No tourists yet, mostly delivery trucks and vans. All lanes were northbound, because it was 6th Avenue.Mike was showered and clean shaven, every item on him and in his possession carefully considered. The white hard hat...

Great Read IF you have never read his stuff Start with the first Everyone is better than the last A good brake from Trump and Hillary 5.0 out of 5 starsJoe and Nate are Back By M. Denis Hill VINE VOICE on January 4, 2016 Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? ) The trouble with getting wrapped up in a C.J. Box novel is that at some point you finish it. This was my 10th read in 15 months and I would have hung around for more. Off the Grid deftly employs the usual suspects:...

Finca Vigia, the house where Ernest Hemingway lived in Cuba, is now a museum restored to its original state with help from a foundation in the United States. Much of the funding came from major U.S. corporations including Caterpillar, Ford, AT&T and American Express. ... For more than half a century, his works have been stored in hot, humid conditions at risk from damp, mold and termites. This new conservation building is the first construction project in Cuba using modern U.S. building materials since 1950’s.

Fox News host and chief political anchor Bret Baier is working on a book about the waning days of Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency and the beginning of John F. Kennedy’s administration. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, told The Associated Press on Monday that Baier’s “Three Days in January: Dwight Eisenhower’s Final Mission” would come out in January, around the time the successor to President Barack Obama will be sworn in. …

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See Something, Say Nothing A Homeland Security Officer Exposes the Govt. Submission to Jihad One day after a prominent U.S. Muslim leader reacted to the November 2015 Paris attacks with a declaration that the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has nothing to do with Islam, President Obama made the same assertion. Who exactly is the enemy we face, not only in the Middle East but also within our borders? Is it “murderers without a coherent creed” or “nihilistic killers who want to tear things down,” as some described ISIS after 130 people were brutally slain and another 368 injured...