Free Republic

Facing intense regulatory scrutiny, Comcast is planning to abandon its $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable, people briefed on the matter said on Thursday, ending a bid that would have united the country’s two largest cable operators and reshaped the rapidly evolving video and broadband markets. The collapse of the deal comes as technology changes and an array of Internet offerings upend how people watch and pay for television, making broadband service more important than ever. Had the deal been approved, the combined company would have controlled as much as 57 percent of the nation’s broadband market and just...

Piraeus Bank will write off credit cards and retail loans up to 20,000 euros ($21,484) for Greeks who qualify for help under a law the leftist government passed to provide relief to poverty-stricken borrowers, it said on Thursday.

A Hillcrest man was robbed Thursday in a home invasion and the man suspected in the crime was spotted using the victim’s powered wheelchair for his getaway, police said. San Diego Police arrested Stanley McQuery, 54, for breaking into the victim’s unit in the senior apartment complex on 6th Avenue near Pennsylvania Avenue. The 79-year-old victim told police it was after 3 a.m. when a man broke into his home through the bedroom window saying, “I’m trying to get out of here.” The victim, who has one leg, used his wheelchair to move into the living room. There, he used...

According to a recent study completed at Grand Valley State University and published in PeerJ, data shows that even among highly competitive college athletes, men have a slight edge on their female counterparts when it comes to overall competitiveness. The study included 1,147 runners that competed in the 5,000 meter race, an event that is popular among both sexes. While the study spanned runners from all three college-division levels, the results showed that men were driven by their desire for status and recognition, while women were much more team-oriented. The findings are in line with previous research completed by Stanford...

Darth Vader, the masked villain in the "Star Wars" sci-fi universe, has had a makeover. Japanese jeweler Ginza Tanaka unveiled a gold Darth Vader mask on Wednesday, months before the latest film in one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", hits cinema screens in December. While the gold-plated mask is not for sale, commemorative gold coins engraved with Darth Vader or his Stormtroopers will be from May 4.

Bloomberg Title and Link Only http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-24/ted-cruz-introduces-bills-to-stop-gay-marriage Sub-Heading-- "The Texas senator wants to establish a constitutional amendment that protects states that define marriage as being between a man and a woman from legal action. "

A response to Rod Dreher’s “Benedict Option”An atmosphere of gloom and despair pervades some cultural-conservative circles, and, at first glance, it’s easy to understand why. There’s no question that hysterical public assaults on Christians or others who dissent from leftist sexual orthodoxy are increasing in volume and frequency. It seems as if every day there’s a new story of an attempt to silence, intimidate, or publicly shame social conservatives. It’s not enough to express disagreement with cultural conservatives — they must lose their jobs, lose their businesses, and close their schools, unless they bend the knee to the sexual revolution....

A local Marine veteran’s therapy dog that disappeared for four months has been found safe and reunited with her owner. Animal Services' officials received a call on Thursday morning that Nahla had been found in the San Ysidro area; the residents there said they found the dog as a stray in the area. Nahla was rescued safe, save for some serious skin issues, fleas and a bit emaciated, but should fully recover. Hernando Quandt and his wife, Vivian, were reunited with Nahla at Thursday afternoon at the San Diego County Animal Shelter in Bonita. Nahla appeared overjoyed to be reunited...

Anyone archive Space X Parody? Grandson's favorite and can no longer find it on the internet. If anyone has it archived would you send me link please.

The jury in the Etan Patz murder trial went through a seventh day of deliberations Thursday. Pedro Hernandez, 54, confessed to killing the 6-year-old boy in May 1979. He said he lured Patz into a bodega basement and strangled him. The defense, however, says Hernandez is mentally ill and made up the story. The jury asked for a computer with Excel Thursday to create a spreadsheet to organize its thoughts, WCBS 880’s Irene Cornell reported. The judge granted the request joked he’ll say no if they ask for a coffee maker. Jurors were dismissed for the day around 4:45 p.m.,...

History often repeats itself, and if you have lived two lives, as I have done, you have a good chance of seeing the reenactment with your own eyes. Liberation theology, of which not much has been heard for two decades, is back in the news. But what is not being mentioned is its origins. It was not invented by Latin American Catholics. It was developed by the KGB. The man who is now the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, secretly worked for the KGB under the code name “Mikhailov” and spent four decades promoting liberation theology, which...

I’ve long been a fan of the adage that the worst thing you can give someone is exactly what they’ve asked for. In the last few days, there has been a minor storm brewing over SB 2161 – the bill in Mississippi designed to address Common Core. The bill passed with overwhelming support in the Mississippi Legislature in an election year. Last week, Governor Phil Bryant had some misgivings about the bill and signaled that he might (might) veto. Wingnut nation piled on both on blogs and in closed door Facebook chat rooms urging him to do that. (SNIP) Of...

Hillary Clinton has been calling for sweeping changes in the way that private citizens choose to get involved in the political process. Yes, I know, the term is “campaign finance reform.” She went so far as to say that she’d be willing to support a Constitutional amendment to “reform” the way voters spend their money in political campaigns. She’s not the only Democrat who feels this way. Their concerns are real. How can a Democrat candidate expect to run an effective campaign when voters have the power to determine the outcome? Hillary and others on the Left get especially nervous...

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...

Where: 7th Avenue | Ybor City, Florida When: May 1st - Friday Time: 6:00 PM Join Raíces en Tampa on International Workers Day also known as May Day. Leading organizations of Tampa will come together to support our undocumented community and to demand #Not1More deportation! Confirmed endorsers of #MayDay: - Tampa Bay SDS - Committee to Stop FBI Repression - Tampa - Student/Farmworker Alliance - Casa Chiapas Tampa More Updates will be coming soon! In the mean time don't forget to order the official May Day shirt: http://teespring.com/L4AMayDay Questions? raicesentampa@gmail.com raicesentampa.wordpress.com

Gov. Phil Bryant late Thursday afternoon ended any suspense over whether his signature would go on a Common Core bill supporters said was designed to kill use of the education standards in Mississippi. Bryant disagreed, and Thursday put his veto on Senate Bill 2161, saying the measure did not kill Common Core but merely created a commission to study it. He wants it dead and pledged to continuing seeking its demise. (SNIP) Chris McDaniel, who narrowly lost a runoff bid against Thad Cochran for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination, is chairman of United Conservatives Fund. While commending Bryant for his...

Officials claim Saeed admitted to taking part in an attack on a Syrian prisonImages and updates made on a San Diego man’s Facebook page have been submitted as evidence after his arrest on terrorism charges. Mohamad Saeed Kodaimati, 24, faces two charges of making false statements to federal officials in a terrorism investigation. FBI agents arrested Saeed Tuesday after he allegedly confessed to fighting with Al-Nusrah in a four-month battle against the Assad regime. Al-Nusrah is affiliated with al-Qaida and was designated last year to be a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. Images and conversations on Facebook...

At the Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day event at the White House Wednesday, first lady Michelle Obama had a hard time remembering how long she and the president of the United States have been married. She also made sure she curried favor with the children by pandering to them, saying, "We are grateful to you all, for what you do to support your parents ... " and added a pitch for the nanny state, saying of the children's parents, "We're taking care of 'em, at least we're trying to ..." The First Lady began by siting down...

The book isn’t even out yet, and Clinton’s team is already sheltering in place like Churchill’s cabinet during the Blitz. That’s in part because Schweizer, a conservative author and dogged investigative journalist, has teamed up with notorious right-wing rags The New York Times and The Washington Post to essentially re-report and expand on allegations made in the book. Because it would be absurd to claim these papers are part of the “vast right-wing conspiracy” — which won’t stop flacks from saying it — they’re better equipped to drop the payload over the target. Even Lawrence O’Donnell, a Democratic water-carrier of...

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner and her fiancee, fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson, were arrested on suspicion of assault and disorderly conduct after an argument in the home they recently purchased together became physical. The two 24-year-olds were each arrested Wednesday on counts of assault by recklessly causing physical injuries and disorderly conduct for fighting. They were booked into the Maricopa County Jail in downtown Phoenix and later released.