Free Republic

So much for that much anticipated rebound in the participation rate. After it had managed to post a modest increase in the early part of the year, hitting the highest level in one year in March at 63%, the disenchantment with working has returned, and the labor force participation rate had flatlined for the next few month, ultimately dropping in November to 62.7%, just shy of its 35 year low of 62.4% hit last October. This can be seen in the surge of Americans who are no longer in the labor force, who spiked by 446,000 in November, hitting an...

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which maintains strong financial ties to the Kellogg Company, has provided at least $930,000 in support of the controversial work of the Black Lives Matter organization. The financing is listed on the Foundation’s website. It includes a June 1, 2016 grant to the International Development Exchange, which is in a contractual relationship with Black Lives Matter to process donations for the group. The Associated Press reported the International Development Exchange, also known as IDEX, “has been acting as a mostly unseen financial arm of Black Lives Matter, with the ability to receive grants and tax-deductible donations...

Last year, the Emanuel administration slipped through a tax on streaming video and cloud computing. Now, again without public hearings, City Hall is targeting bars and restaurants with a surcharge on satellite TV feeds. Earlier this month, the city served notice that its 9 percent amusement tax applies to businesses that subscribe to satellite TV services. The impact likely will be felt most by public spaces that buy premium subscriptions for NFL and college games that can easily run $5,000 to $10,000 a year, meaning their annual taxes would come to at least $450. "This is obviously a huge concern...

Attorneys for President-elect Donald Trump have moved to block the vote recount in Pennsylvania, adding to complaints filed to stop similar proceedings in Michigan and Wisconsin. “Despite being no more than a blip on the electoral radar, Stein has now commandeered Pennsylvania’s electoral process, with an eye toward doing the same to the Electoral College,” the complaint filed Thursday states. “There is no evidence — or even an allegation — that any tampering with Pennsylvania’s voting systems actually occurred.” The filing comes on the heels of the Trump camp’s complaint reported earlier Thursday in Michigan dismissing Green Party candidate Jill...

The recently discovered element 117 has been officially named "tennessine" in recognition of Tennessee’s contributions to its discovery, including the efforts of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its Tennessee collaborators at Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee. "The presence of tennessine on the Periodic Table is an affirmation of our state's standing in the international scientific community, including the facilities ORNL provides to that community as well as the knowledge and expertise of the laboratory's scientists and technicians," ORNL Director Thom Mason said.

WELCOME TO THE TRUMP FAMILY TRAIN We are in the fourth week since the election until the Inauguration The first THANK YOU rally last night in Cinti revealed another packed house of enthusiastic Americans supporting Donald J. Trump as he reviewed the election, shared more of his vision and made on appointment announcement (that is a secret) of Mad Dog Mattis. We are all anticipating this week will reveal the new SOS plus other key announcements.

ANGRY migrants waiting to claim asylum in the promised land of Europe have bemoaned the lack of comforts at shelters in Angela Merkel’s Germany.With the showers and washing machines broken for weeks on end, desperate asylum seekers say they cannot continue to live in the “unworthy conditions”. Around 92 refugees live in a gymnasium in Wackenbergstrasse, in Pankow, Berlin, as they wait to claim asylum. –– ADVERTISEMENT –– But the unhappy migrants have complained an emergency light that is kept on all night keeps them awake. Some have even turned to drink and drugs to block out their living conditions,...

Limp-fisted Democratic Party opponents have not done it. Term limits he himself championed when first elected to Congress in 1988 have not done it. (He has been reelected every two years since.) And too-close associations with slimeballs like Mike Carona, Dave Garofalo, Jack Abramoff, Jeffrey Ray Nielsen, Joseph Medawar and even his felony fraudster wife Rhonda have not done it. No, the only way the Orange County congressional delegation is finally going to rid itself of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Havana) is if Donald Trump nominates him for Secretary of State. Years ago, working at a daily newspaper, it was revealed...

(CNN) — Four weeks after the election, tensions between top operatives at the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton campaigns erupted during a Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics discussion that was intended to record history by drawing out the internal deliberations of both campaigns. Facing off at long tables on opposite sides of the room during a two-hour panel, raw emotions on both sides exploded as operatives debated how Trump had won the divisive campaign.

Fugitive Laron Campbell came out of the attic with pink insulation all over his body, a US Marshal said.The two inmates who broke out of the Santa Clara County Main Jail on Thanksgiving eve by cutting jail window bars and rappelling down with bedsheets now face additional charges after both were captured hiding in attics within 22 hours of each other. "They've left no stone unturned and have had many, many sleepless nights," Sheriff Laurie Smith said late Wednesday of all the agencies, including US Marshals and FBI agents, who helped bring the fugitives back into custody. Both captured fugitives...

Khalid Sheik Mohammed: George W. Bush's Shock and Awe Response to 9/11 Prevented Other Attacks Far from trying to draw us in, KSM said that al-Qaeda expected the United States to respond to 9/11 as we had the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut — when, KSM told Mitchell, the United States ‘turned tail and ran.’ ‘Then he looked at me and said, ‘How was I supposed to know that cowboy George Bush would announce he wanted us ‘dead or alive’ and then invade Afghanistan to hunt us down?’’ Mitchell writes. ‘KSM explained that if the United States...

Every four years Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government hosts aides from opposing campaigns for a frank postmortem of the presidential election. Harvard has been doing this since 1972 and usually the discussions are respectful. But according to the Washington Post, that’s not the case this year. When Trump’s team praised Steve Bannon, former Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri lashed out. .... Joel Benenson, another Clinton strategist said, “There were dog whistles sent out to people.. . .Look at your rallies. He delivered it.” Conway responded, “Guys, I can tell you are angry, but wow.” She added, “Hashtag he’s your president. How’s that?...

n June, President Obama participated in a PBS townhall and was asked about Trump's promise to keep Carrier's Indiana plant in the U.S. The townhall participant -- Eric Cottonham, a member of the Steelworkers Union employed by Carrier -- asked Obama if anything could be done to stem the tide of jobs flowing out of the country, as Trump had recently promised to do. "I see here you’re doing a lot of things, but in Indianapolis, there’s nothing there for us," he asked. "I mean, what’s next? I mean, what can we look forward to in the future as far...

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above.Honoring those who have served before. FReeper Canteen Just Hangin' Cafe Come on in, we're open Need a place just to hang out? This is it. We serve coffee, tea,or maybe a tall brew?Topped off with great conversation and music. No worries in the FReeper Canteen Just Hangin' Cafe. Grab a glass and start a conversation. You never know who you might meet in the Cafe. Glad you could join us. Enjoy your stay. Our AWESOME...

Kellogg’s shares (NYSE: K) dropped 1.44% on Thursday, the day after accusations of child labor exploitation and the launch of Breitbart News’ #DumpKelloggs campaign brought the snack company’s value down 2%. Kellogg’s stock fell $1.04 to close at $70.96 per share. The combined two-day drop has been $2.66 per share, down 3.6% from $73.62 at the start of Wednesday trading. Kellogg’s announced this week that it would pull advertisements from Breitbart News. The company fired back on Wednesday: Kellogg Co. announced on Tuesday its decision to pull ads from conservative media giant Breitbart.com because its 45,000,000 monthly conservative readers are...

The Democrat Party has learned no lessons after the drubbing it took at every level of government on election day if its recent moves are any indication. While the state of California is drafting rules to literally curb the supposed global warming effects of cow farts, the Democrat Party in the House voted to keep Calif. Rep. Nancy Pelosi as its minority leader. The vote to keep Pelosi isn’t a big surprise but the move to create regulations for California farmers to curb the effect of cow flatulence is both stunning and absurd. “If we can reduce emissions of methane,...

Two top Senate Democrats are pressing the government to explain how Donald Trump's federal lease to operate a luxury hotel near the White House can go forward despite what they call the "unmanageable conflicts of interest" presented by the president becoming his own landlord — as well as a provision that bans government officials from the deal. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts joined with Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, ranking Democrat on the committee that oversees government operations, in sending a letter Thursday to the General Services Administration, which in 2013 awarded a lease to the Trump organization to redevelop...

Rosie O’Donnell is saying sorry -- and locking up her Twitter account. The outspoken comedian and former “The View” co-host came under fire for sharing a video speculating about whether or not Donald and Melania Trump’s 10-year-old son, Barron, could be autistic. Shortly before making her Twitter account private on Thursday, O’Donnell wrote a message apologizing to the future First Lady. “I apologize to @MELANIATRUMP - i was insensitive in my RT - i am sorry for the pain i caused - it was not my intent - i am truly sorry,” O’Donnell wrote. The YouTube user who posted the...

Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz will leave his post as the company's chief executive, the company said Thursday. Schultz will become the company's executive chairman, and current President and COO Kevin Johnson will become Starbucks' next CEO. The changes will take place on April 3, the company said. Starbucks shares dipped more than 3 percent in after-hours trading following the news of the planned leadership transition. "As I focus on Starbucks next wave of retail innovation, I am delighted that Kevin Johnson — our current president, COO, a seven-year board member and my partner in running every facet of...

‘Marriage equality is vulnerable’ under Donald Trump’s presidency, says nephew of gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Stuart Milk warned of ‘dark days ahead’ due to a rise in anti-gay rhetoric spurred on by the US election of Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who supports gay conversion therapy. The nephew of Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected in public office in California and was assassinated 38 years ago, was speaking exclusively to the Standard on his disappointment that friend Hillary Clinton lost out to Trump. He said: “It was very tough, but having been...