Free Republic

Education Secretary Arne Duncan visited an elementary school in Columbus, N.M. last year where 75 percent of the students live in Mexico but are being educated in the United States because their mothers crossed the border to seek medical help, and their birth here makes them U.S. citizens. "So for decades, women in labor have been allowed to cross the border and go to the nearest hospital, which happens to be just 30 miles north of the U.S. border,” the documentary says. “Once they give birth there, the children become citizens.” Duncan also hailed the children’s parents for having “the...

After nearly 30 years studying how plants use their genes to defend against viruses, Vicki Vance, a professor at the University of South Carolina, doesn’t see genetically modifying plants as a malevolent or arrogantly God-like endeavor. “There’s DNA in the world and it gets passed from one organism to another and it’s the natural thing. If that’s the problem you have with transgenic plants, that’s not a good reason to be against them,” Vance says. She does, however, have a problem with mega corporations allegedly using their money and power to hide the risks of new forms of genetic technology....

Sound farfetched that an entire missing airliner could be part of a huge viral marketing campaign for a "Lost" movie? Really? Or perhaps you underestimate Bad Robot.

Post 'em here.

It used to be that if you went to a college-level debate tournament, the students you’d see would be bookish future lawyers from elite universities, most of them white. In matching navy blazers, they’d recite academic arguments for and against various government policies. It was tame, predictable, and, frankly, boring. No more. These days, an increasingly diverse group of participants has transformed debate competitions, mounting challenges to traditional form and content by incorporating personal experience, performance, and radical politics. These “alternative-style” debaters have achieved success, too, taking top honors at national collegiate tournaments over the past few years.

Here’s a guy you want to bet on– Li Ka-Shing. Li is reportedly the richest person in Asia with a net worth well in excess of $30 billion, much of which he made being a shrewd property investor. Li Ka-Shing was investing in mainland China back in the early 90s, way back before it became the trendy thing to do. Now, Li wants out of China. All of it. Since August of last year, he’s dumped billions of dollars worth of his Chinese holdings. The latest is the $928 million sale of the Pacific Place shopping center in Beijing– this...

COMPTON (CBSLA.com) — Compton residents were shocked to learn about a high-tech surveillance system that was being tested in the city two years ago. “I [didn’t know about it.] Wow. It really bothers me a lot,” resident Latonya Lindsey said. “We should know, I mean, we should have the opportunity to know…if we’re gonna be kinda like, spied on. If that’s what’s going on, people should know.” The wide-area surveillance pilot program, which was tested in 2012, used an airplane flying at 10,000 feet and sophisticated cameras mounted to it to record a 25 square mile area. Inventors said the...

A rapper who worked with members of the group Wu-Tang Clan cut off his penis and jumped from a second floor balcony in an apparent suicide attempt, TMZ reports. Andre Johnson was found on the sidewalk outside an apartment building in West Hollywood at 1:00 am on Wednesday morning and taken to Cedars-Sinai hospital in critical condition. A spokesperson for the hospital said it does not comment on patients, but TMZ reports that attempts to reattach Johnson's penis failed. Johnson is also known by the stage name Christ Bearer, and is in the rap group Northstar. Wu-Tang Clan founding member...

Cereal eaters, terrible dancers, and latex salesmen will be especially welcome in Brooklyn in early July. Jerry Seinfeld wore his Mets fandom on his sleeve during the long run of his eponymous sitcom, and now, one of the team's minor league affiliates is returning the favor. Quite literally, in fact. The Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets’ short season single A team based in Coney Island, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original airing of the “Seinfeld” pilot with a night filled with festivities about nothing, so to speak. On July 5, the team is transforming MCU Park into an arena...

Just a month before his next film X-Men: Days of Future Past is set to release, director Bryan Singer has been accused of child molestation. According to documents filed in Hawaii, 31-year-old Michael Egan claims Singer used his power in the entertainment industry to sexually exploit him when he was an underage teen actor striking it out in Los Angeles. Now Egan is suing the director, for $300,000 for the 'catastrophic psychological and emotional injuries' he says he suffered, the documents filed Wednesday explain.

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In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".recondite \REK-un-dyte\ adjective 1. hidden from sight; concealed2. difficult or impossible for one of ordinary understanding or knowledge to comprehend : deep3. of, relating to, or dealing with something little known or obscure Example sentence:"We hear from mathematicians that bees have practically solved a recondite problem, and have made their cells of the proper shape to hold the greatest possible amount of honey, with the least possible consumption of precious wax in their construction."...

Click on link.

Quinn and Rose are off the air, (temporarily, I hope!) Gone, but DEFINITELY not forgotten! Meanwhile, our friendly group of dedicated FReeper Q&R fans will meet in our usual spot - same time, same station - as we always have! So grab your coffee - or whatever you choose to start your day - and drop in for some political chit-chat, or just to shoot the breeze! We are all coming from - or going to - work, but we all stop in to say ‘hi!’ Feel free to join us!

AUSTIN, TX, April 16, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A new survey by a liberal polling firm is bad news for Wendy Davis, the Democratic would-be governor of Texas who rose to national prominence after filibustering a bill to restrict abortions in the state. Although Davis promotes herself proudly as a candidate who cares about “women’s issues” – a euphemism for legalized abortion-on-demand, or as the Davis team describes it, “expanding access to women’s health care” – it seems women in Texas aren’t interested in what she’s selling. According to Public Policy Polling, 46 percent of Texas women view Davis “unfavorably,” and...

ST. LOUIS (AP) — After he was convicted of armed robbery in 2000, Cornealious Anderson was sentenced to 13 years behind bars and told to await instructions on when and where to report to prison. But those instructions never came. So Anderson didn't report. He spent the next 13 years turning his life around — getting married, raising three kids, learning a trade. He made no effort to conceal his identity or whereabouts. Anderson paid taxes and traffic tickets, renewed his driver's license and registered his businesses

Just before the Lakers wrapped their worst season while in Los Angeles , Kobe Bryant took off early to start his vacation in Europe. He also went to twitter to express his feelings towards the season before beating the Spurs in the final game of the season.

A lot of [the design of film and motion technology] was conceived with the idea of the best representation of white people. And I don't mean to say that it was a deliberate and exclusionary practice, but [it was] much more of a willful obliviousness, if you will. So color film in its early stages pretty much developed around trying to measure the image against white skin. ...

"In letters last week to ranchers across Nevada, the federal agency has mandated removal of cattle from 1.7 million acres of public lands from March 1 to June 14." "...conservationists call tortoises an "indicator" species, holding that if the animal is having a hard time surviving for some reason, other animals are as well. "It may be there will be no effect, and we can all go back to business as usual," says Slone. But ranchers say they cannot pick up the pieces after a half decade and start again. "I will go belly up," says Kelly Jensen, whose family...

The city’s former snow czar never filled out his department’s time sheets but collected more than $13,000 in overtime last year and scored a hefty vacation and sick time payout upon resigning when Mayor Thomas M. Menino left office, the Herald has learned. Elmo Baldassari, Men­ino’s deputy commissioner for Public Works, who took home $138,548 last year, 
received a $37,613 payout, including $26,645 in un­-used sick time, after he 
resigned. In 2012, Baldassari was his department’s highest-paid employee, earning $9,586 in overtime on top of his $122,217 base pay. “We are a very decentralized business, like many businesses, so time...

Cats are surrendered to animal shelters due to any number of owner complaints: clawing up the furniture, fighting with other pets, not liking the owner’s new baby. But for black-and-white Domestic Shorthair Lenny, who was rescued from a Rochester, New York, park in February and brought to the Scottsville Veterinary Hospital & Adoptions shelter, finding a forever home is something that eluded him for a very unusual reason. Lenny is one gassy kitty. Shelter staff thought they’d found a wonderful home for Lenny last month, but after only two days with his new family, they were back at the adoption...

Hopefully, America has learned its lesson — do not elect another “community organizer.” This is especially true when the community organizer has a murky history filled with pathological lies, a hatred of America and a long list of associations with those who wish to destroy our nation. You would think a community organizer would know that showing weakness is a provocation for your enemies. Maybe President Barack Obama does know this and doesn’t care. Or maybe he does not have a clue what is going on in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia and everywhere else where America’s enemies...

I am running computers at my Florida farm that use ten-fold the electricity I used a year ago, this time of year. I read freeper threads about the LEO, no-knock, drug suspected raids, that occur all across the states when electricity usage is flagged as abnormally high. How would you go about contacting the county sheriff and what to say as well as what not to say with regard to high electric usage. I don't want to wake in the middle of the night to LEO activity on my property that I suspect is a burglary or other criminal activity....

Klahoose carving settles question of territory A face carved into a tree trunk was discovered by forestry workers in a remote location up Toba Inlet. It had been staring down an ancient river valley in the rainforest for almost 200 years. The recent chance discovery was made approximately 60 miles up the inlet and helped to silence a question of doubt regarding the geographic limits of Klahoose First Nation traditional territory. Two employees of Fireball Contracting Ltd., Rob Reynolds and Keith McCrea, were working in a cutblock and turned around to discover the carved face. Klahoose Forestry Limited Partnership manager...

http://globetribune.info/2014/04/16/brandeis-invites-bill-ayers-to-speak-after-disinviting-ayaan-ali-hirsi/

I'm looking to buy a new vehicle after my old one (2005 Hyundai Accent) hit the 110000 mile mark. I've nicked-named it the "old gray mare" I'll be going to the same Hyundai dealer who sold me the previous Accent. I'm looking at a 2012 Accent which was a lease and it only has 6176 miles on it. Auto Check is "clean" and it's Hyundai "Certified Pre-Owned" (and under it's original warranty). Any advice you can offer to make this a smooth transaction, save some money, and avoid pitfalls? FYI: I'm already pre-approved by my local credit union (helps to...

They should bring this up on FOX and Conservative Radio.When you see the debacle going on in Nevada over a past due tax bill,turtles and cows,maybe we need to see how much Michelle and Barry spend on vacations as it's loose change to them.And now we have the IRS chasing after 20 yr old debt?,and last week the FEDS were sent there to take Clives cows over a past due tax bill?.Were the cows arrested&fingerprinted also?

If the budget would be balanced by selling off the huge swaths of Federal land -- why not do it?

Man wants to open a bar in his gun range Generally speaking, the combination of alcohol and weapons sounds like a bad one. Jeff Swanson of Oklahoma City doesn’t see it that way, however. KFOR NewsChannel 4 reports that the entrepreneur, who is in the process of building an “upscale” gun range in OKC, wants his establishment to offer its patrons a drink after they’re finished shooting. KOKH FOX 25 News reports that Mr. Swanson will have customers scan their driver’s license before they partake in either firing guns or drinking alcohol. Mr. Swanson told KOKH, "Once your order a...

A new bill introduced in Congress looks to ban states from implementing their own labeling laws when it comes to food containing genetically engineered ingredients. According to Reuters, US Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) introduced the legislation on Wednesday, which is intended to head off bills in about 24 states that would require companies to inform customers when their food is produced using genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Titled the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act,” the proposal would forbid states from enacting such proposals....

Cover Oregon’s fizzled launch has been a high profile disaster for the state. After spending $160 million, Oregon’s health insurance exchange had exactly zero people sign up for private insurance in the first two months. Now Cover Oregon claims to have enrolled 7,300 people. However, the fine print from the Cover Oregon press release reveals that the suspiciously round number is actually an estimate. In fact, Cover Oregon has not indicated that a single person has paid their first bill, which is the industry’s measure of enrollment. As with any bureaucratic failure, finger-pointing is an unavoidable stage. Rather than trying...

Eggs and butter. That’s all you need for truly amazing scrambled eggs. Unfortunately, eggs and butter are also the key ingredients in really bad scrambled eggs, the rubbery, flavorless kind you find too often in diners and restaurants. The fact is, your eggs will always live and die by how they’re handled on the stovetop. Cook them too long and you extract the moisture and, with it, the flavor. But if you cook them gently and slowly, over low heat, you’ll have the best eggs you’ve ever tasted. Crack them directly into the pan and, instead of scrambling them, slowly...

For those who've always wanted to build their own home, the prospect may now be more realistic than ever, thanks to a new wave of kit homes.

So it looks like the Democrats have nothing to run on as usual this year.All they have is accusing conservatives and the GOP of hating all minorities.When Steve Israel accused GOP members of being racists,why didn't Chris Wallace challenge him?,He should of just responded by making Mr.Israel tell his 3 million(or so) viewers which Republicans were the racists.If Democrats are going to spend the next 6 months accusing all "Non-Democrats" of being racists on live television,someone better ask them to name names!.Wouldn't any of you love to be in the host position where you would demand your liberal guest to...

An army of crocodiles took on a herd of massive hippos -- although if you ask us, this fight doesn't seem quite fair. Check out the wild photos from the beastly battle... It's nature at it's most stunning -- and also it's most brutal. A herd of hippos was no match for this throng of hungry crocodiles that descended upon the unsuspecting beasts at the South Luangwa National Park in Eastern Zambia. See how the drama unfolded...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Once again, Portland officials are preparing to flush millions of gallons of treated water because a young person urinated into a city reservoir. Water Bureau Administrator David Shaff said 38 million gallons will be discarded because a 19-year-old was caught in the act on Wednesday

The best breaking food news in the last few weeks is that butter is back, and better for you than ever (or something — we're not totally convinced it's health food, only that it's delicious). It's great timing: There are plenty of New York restaurants making saturated fat worth your while, offering next-level butter made with bonito flakes, roe, lavender, seaweed, and, of course, uni. To celebrate butter's big comeback, Grub rounded up 13 rich, excellent butters around town. Betony The Dish: Poached Lobster With Roe Butter Bryce Shuman likes Kriemhild Dairy Farms' meadow butter: It's produced upstate and churned...

JACKSON, MI – As Diana Banks-Joiner stood in a courtroom and spoke of the abuse her nephew Marcel Hill endured at the hands of Camia Gamet, a woman he loved, his killer interrupted. “Is that it?” Gamet said from her seat at the defense table. The statement prompted gasps from the audience and an angry response from Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain, who threatened to duct tape Gamet’s mouth closed.

Chelyabinsk, a large city in western Russia, was best known for producing tractors and professional hockey players until the morning of February 15, 2013, when a 19-meter-wide meteor screamed through the sky and exploded with the force of 500 kilotons of TNT. The meteor generated a fireball many times brighter than the sun, so powerful it even caused sunburns. The shock wave blew out windows and knocked residents off of their feet, injuring more than 1,200. The object was the largest to strike Earth in more than a century... Asteroids that come within 28 million miles of our planet are...

Former customer Marie Bridgemahon says manager ejected her from Co-op City Pathmark because of the color of her skin. Another customer launched a racist rant against her moments before she was kicked out . Bridgemahon is now suing Pathmark.A Co-op City Pathmark manager added insult to injury by escorting a customer out of the store following a racially charged slur from another patron, a new lawsuit charges. Marie Bridgemahon and her daughter, both of whom are black, were forced to leave the Bartow Ave. grocery store in 2011 following an incident in which a white woman called her a “black...

Marty Resnick installed his sculpture on the grounds of Kingsborough Community College before moving in 1975 to live off the land in Southeast Ohio. The origins of the scrap metal artwork puzzled faculty members for decades.Friends of an enigmatic artist have solved a Manhattan Beach whodunit that has stumped locals for four decades. A rusting sculpture on the campus of Kingsborough Community College has puzzled faculty members who long ago had lost the identity of its creator — if they had it to begin with. “When they were doing the inventory they had no record of the sculpture,” Kingsborough Art...

This helmet-cam video shows some insane riding that will make you feel like you are right there with this guy. This is sure to keep your adrenaline pumping just by watching it. WATCH VIDEO AT LINK

Watch: 2006 interview with shooting suspect Frazier Glenn Cross. Kansas City Reporter Dan Weinbaum of KMBC TV.

The K-9 German Shepherd Portland police searched for much of Wednesday morning was found dead with at least one gunshot wound a little before 10 a.m. The dog was hurt during an officer-involved shooting just before 3 a.m. near Southwest Capitol Highway and Lobelia Street. A suspect, armed with a weapons similar to an AR-15 rifle, also wounded an officer, though those injuries are considered to be not life threatening. Earlier, officers were investigating a burglary at a uniform supply store that sold police equipment, where a vehicle was located with three suspects inside. Reese said officers saw three people...

The mayor of a small Missouri town has mostly nice things to say about the white supremacist accused of killing three people at Jewish facilities last weekend. Marionville, Mo. Mayor Dan Clevenger spoke warmly this week of Frazier Glenn Miller, who allegedly went on a killing rampage on Sunday in Overland Park, Kan. "He was always nice and friendly and respectful of elder people, you know, he respected his elders greatly. As long as they were the same color as him," Clevenger said while laughing, according to television station KSPR. "Very fair and honest and never had a bit of...

"Is this your car or do you know whose it is? Looking for the owner who potentially wears a lot of necklaces and enjoys San Pellegrino sodas. I didn't steal your car but I think my mom may have. It's a long story. I'll explain, but your car is safe and sound." When Nekisia Davis, a Red Hook granola maker, took a weekend trip to Miami with her friends earlier this month, she used her extra airline miles to fly her mother up from Houston to dog-sit. In addition to taking care of Ruby, Davis's Pomeranian mix, her mom was...

"I know that I do not know." Sigh. There are many things I miss about the Bush Administration. And very high on the list is Donald Rumsfeld, who suffers fools not at all but employs a wonderful sense of humor in the process. Yesterday he released a letter he wrote to the IRS on tax day to let the Lerner Brigades know that he has no idea whatsoever if the returns he's filing are accurate. Enjoy:

The moons that orbit Saturn may be increasing by one -- an icy, pint-sized object that astronomers have named “Peggy.” NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has spotted evidence that a mysterious object measuring perhaps half a mile across is disturbing the outer edge of Saturn’s large, bright A ring. The object’s gravity seems to have roughed up the ring’s usually smooth profile. As a result, a stretch of the A ring that measures 750 miles long and 6 miles wide is now about 20% brighter than it would typically appear. The fuzzy blob on the A ring’s edge was imaged by Cassini’s...

Rapper Andre Johnson severed his penis and jumped from a Los Angeles apartment building early Wednesday, police said. Johnson was seriously injured, but survived the fall from the second level of the building in North Hollywood, Los Angeles Police Sgt. William Mann said. Johnson, along with his recovered penis, was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was being treated, Mann said. Details about what triggered the incident were not available. Johnson has been a member of Northstar, a Long Beach, California, hip hop group that was part of the Wu-Tang Clan family, according to the Wu-Tang Clan website. He...

GPS Digital Producer Jason Miks speaks with Amy Chua, a law professor at Yale, and her husband Jed Rubenfeld, also a professor at Yale, about their new book ‘The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America,’ and what it means to be a Tiger Mom. Watch Fareed’s interview with Chua and Rubenfeld this Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET on CNN.Your 2011 book, The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, sparked an intense debate with its look at the differences between Chinese and Western parenting. What are the key...