Free Republic

One of Britain’s most famous transgender personalities is swapping genders for the third time in eight years. Brad Cooper became the U.K.’s youngest person to undergo a gender swap at only 15 years old, when he claimed he believed he was a girl stuck in a boy’s body. Doctors began pumping Brad’s body full of hormone therapy to stop puberty and trigger breast growth, sparking a widespread debate on whether 15 was too young for a person to make such a life-altering medical decision. Turns out that it just might be. According to a profile in the U.K. Mirror, the...

Bergdorf Goodman. Tiffany & Company. Louis Vuitton. Fifth Avenue in Manhattan is to shopping what Broadway is to theater, defined by the marquee names that for decades have occupied some of New York City’s most prized real estate. But lately, the avenue’s glittery window displays have been changing more quickly, as retailers have streamed in and out. Tourism has slowed while online shopping has sped up, making it harder for companies to justify the cavernous spaces and sky-high rents along the shopping strip.

I have filed this complaint to the inspector general of the DOJ this is a google cloud link and if anyone wants a copy let me know thru email. doj web site for filing complaints https://oig.justice.gov/hotline/contact-doj.htm my response Thank You Thank you for your submission.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, implemented under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, threaten the number of undocumented immigrants who are willing to take advantage of government benefits.Fewer undocumented families have come forward to claim Los Angeles County-funded welfare, which is expected to result in a projected decrease of $200 million over 2016. Trump immigration policies have contributed to a reduction in the number of undocumented people claiming welfare payments, since more people are being napped by ICE. In late April the nationwide figure indicated a hike of 35 percent, before over 200 people being arrested – over a five-day...

On July 26, 2017, U.S. Air Force commandos in the United Kingdom practiced deploying to an austere airfield to quickly refuel and rearm F-15C fighters. It was the first time that Air Force special operators and their MC-130 transports had teamed up with F-15C fighters at a so-called “Forward Arming and Refueling Point,” or FARP. The exercise, which the Air Force dubbed “Rapid Eagle,” expands on the similar “Rapid Raptor” concept involving F-22 stealth fighters — and could help the flying branch sustain combat sorties during some future war with, say, Russia. Rapid Eagle involved three separate wings — the...

In the 1980s, the U.S. Air Force's secret 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron evaluated a collection of captured or donated Soviet aircraft to determine their strengths and weaknesses. On the whole, the expert test pilots were fond of the light, nimble and simple MiG-21. But not its successor. “The MiG-23 was a nightmare, maintenance was a nightmare. The guys hated flying it,” recalled a former 4477th squadron commander. The MiG-23 was the 1970s fighter that the West loved to mock as junk. What could one expect from an aircraft that NATO gave the sadomasochistic name of Flogger? With this year...

Danielle Outlaw, a 19-year veteran of the Oakland Police Department who started as a police explorer when she was in high school, will serve as Portland's next chief, only the third outsider named to lead the Police Bureau. Wheeler will introduce her at a news conference Thursday. She'll earn $215,000 annually and is expected to start no later than Oct. 2. The details of her hiring were ironed out over the weekend.

It was a girls' day out for Hillary Clinton as she and two friends shopped along New York's Madison Avenue on Saturday. The former first lady was dressed in a navy blue ensemble, along with black flats, as she laughed and walked on the city streets with her gal pals. Flanked by three walking Secret Service agents and two Secret Service vehicles behind, Hillary was greeted by members of the public who seemingly showed support, taking selfies and giving hugs. The former Secretary of State stopped into Kate Spade, Asprey and a stationary store before getting into her car and...

Hillary Clinton wants to preach. That’s what she told Bill Shillady, her longtime pastor, at a recent photo shoot for his new book about the daily devotionals he sent her during the 2016 campaign. Scattered bits of reporting suggest that ministry has always been a secret dream of the two-time presidential candidate: Last fall, the former Newsweek editor Kenneth Woodward revealed that Clinton told him in 1994 that she thought “all the time” about becoming an ordained Methodist minister. She asked him not to write about it, though: “It will make me seem much too pious.” The incident perfectly captures...

China’s first home-grown aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, is likely to join the navy of the People’s Liberation Army by late next year, earlier than scheduled, analysts said. The earlier-than-expected start to the carrier’s service marks a key acceleration of China’s effort to build up a blue-water navy to secure the country’s key maritime trade routes and to challenge the US’s dominant position in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. China has one aircraft carrier in operation now - the Liaoning, which went into commission in 2012. The 300-metre ship was refurbished...

A burns surgeon who treats many acid attack victims coming out of East London has suggested that the proliferation of such crimes is now at epidemic levels. Dr Martin Niall, a burn surgeon at Mid-Essex Hospital, told National Public Radio (NPR) in the U.S. that acid attacks in Britain “are now at levels that one of my colleagues described as epidemic”. He added: “Everyone, ourselves included, has been shocked by this emerging threat to public health.” In terms of attacks per head of population, London is now the acid attack capital of the world, with a 74 per cent rise...

Whoopi Goldberg is ready to ring in her 10th anniversary at “The View.” The Oscar-winning actress will return as the moderator for the show’s 21st season this fall, Variety has learned. Her contract renewal is an important one for ABC, as Goldberg has been the glue that’s kept “The View” together since creator Barbara Walters retired in 2014. RELATED Whoopi Goldberg Oscars Whoopi Goldberg Among New Film Academy Governors By focusing on political stories under Trump’s presidency, ratings for “The View” this season are at its highest in three years. The show averaged 2.6 million viewers last week, beating “The...

EL CERRITO, Calif. (AP) — In some ways, Rainbow Day Camp is very ordinary. Kids arrive with a packed lunch, make friendship bracelets, play basketball, sing songs and get silly. But it is also unique, from the moment campers arrive each morning. At check-in each day, campers make a nametag with their pronoun of choice. Some opt for "she" or "he." Or a combination of "she/he." Or "they," or no pronoun at all. Some change their name or pronouns daily, to see what feels right. The camp in the San Francisco Bay Area city of El Cerrito caters to transgender...

We have an extremely highly-paid information technology technician and several of his family members working for many years with leading Congressional Democrats, including some on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. They collectively pulled down millions of dollars since the early 2000s. Awan’s main employer was the head of the DNC at the time of a major computer security breach.

At least one suspect was arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 71-year-old photographer and film location scouts on Twin Peaks in San Francisco last month, police said Monday.

How much longer will the failing nytimes, with its big losses and massive unfunded liability (and non-existent sources), remain in business?— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2017

In a July 14 article, responding to queries about Building a Bridge, his new book on the Catholic-LGBT divide, Father James Martin, SJ explains why he did not devote more space to explaining the Church’s teaching on same-sex relations and marriage. The positions of both sides, he says, are clear, and neither side regards them as negotiable. He continues: Theologically speaking, you could say that these teachings have not been “received” by the L.G.B.T. community, to whom they were directed. So I intentionally did not focus on those topics, since not only are those teachings well known, but they are...

A federal judge in San Francisco has refused to dismiss a lawsuit accusing Wells Fargo Bank of denying loans to immigrants who came to the United States as youngsters and have been allowed to remain here.

With all of the unrest going on in other parts of the world this summer (North Korea, Venezuela, Turkey, Syria, etc.), it’s not too surprising if we miss some of the stories coming out of the Philippines. But they’ve got their own share of troubles to worry about. Their new president has been raising eyebrows around the world with his war on drugs, which sometimes entails killing the occasional mayor of a smaller city, as well as some external threats as well. But they remain one of our allies, at least for now, and you take your friends where...

Bumper Sticker idea. What do you think?