Free Republic

An unmanned military space plane has achieved a major longevity milestone, zipping around Earth for 500 days on a clandestine mission for the United States government. The U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane launched on its third and latest mission on Dec. 11, 2012. As of today (April 24), the vehicle has been aloft for 500 days — far longer than its officially stated maximum orbital lifetime of 270 days. "Clearly, and understandably, the Air Force initially set the expected parameters [of the X-37B] conservatively, not really knowing what it could do until it was tested — which is what...

From The Times August 6, 2009 Secret mission to expose L. Ron Hubbard as a fake Dominic Kennedy, Investigations Editor L.Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology The founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, was exposed as a fraud 30 years ago by British diplomats who were investigating his qualifications. The science-fiction writer, who invented a religion now followed by celebrities such as Tom Cruise, awarded himself a PhD from a sham “diploma mill” college that he had acquired, the diplomats found. Such was the climate of fear and paranoia surrounding Scientology that the US believed the sect had sent bogus...

<p>A hundred medical professionals spent a last hour with their families in Coraopolis yesterday morning before hoisting duffle bags and boarding buses for a destination unknown.</p> <p>Their status as reservists of the 339th Combat Support Hospital had suddenly shifted their lives when they were called up this week.</p>