Free Republic

Greenland might be the new travel hot spot, thanks to President Trump. Since Trump expressed his interest in buying Greenland (and Denmark's prime minister called it absurd), some travel groups, along with the country's tourism board, have seen an uptick in interest for vacation packages and tours for the country. When Trump announced his consideration on August 16, Nordic Visitor saw a significant rise in online users viewing its vacation packages. "[T]raffic to our Greenland site increased by more than 2,800%, compared to the same date in 2018," the travel agency said in a statement to CNN Travel. "Ongoing traffic...

In a landmark ruling, a court in Mexico City has said two people should be allowed to use cocaine legally. The ruling means the unnamed pair can use, but not sell, small amounts of cocaine, according to Mexico United Against Crime (MUCD), an NGO that filed legal papers in the case as part of its strategy to change the country’s drug policy. This is the first time cocaine use has been made legal in Mexico, but the ruling still needs to be ratified by a higher court. It comes at a time when Mexico is grappling with its drug policy...

Multi-faith committee set up to spread Pope Francis’ claim that God wills ‘diversity of religions’ ugust 22, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – A multi-faith “higher committee” was announced this week to implement the “Human Fraternity” document signed by Pope Francis and a Grand Imam in February that stated, among other things, that a “pluralism and diversity” of religions is “willed by God.”  Prominent members of the committee that has been set up in Abu Dhabi include Pope Francis’ personal secretary Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Judge Mohamed Mahmoud...

Walmart sued Tesla for "gross negligence" on Tuesday, claiming that the electric car company's energy division installed solar panels that went up in flames on its store rooftops. The fires caused millions of dollars in damage, the lawsuit alleges. The retailer said fires broke out at seven store rooftops between 2012 and 2018. One location in Ohio had to be closed for eight days, Walmart said in the complaint. The lawsuit claims Tesla never provided Walmart with an explanation for the "root cause" of the fires. "The number of defects, however, is overwhelming and plainly indicative of systemic, widespread failures...

Razor brand Gillette says it is “shifting the spotlight from social issues to local heroes” after an ad delving into “toxic masculinity” caused a customer backlash. The new ad, which launched last week, stars Australian firefighter and personal trainer Ben Ziekenheiner. “I’ve been a firefighter for 19 years,” Mr Ziekenheiner says in the ad. “People sometimes ask if it’s scary. It can be, but like anyone who has a job to do, you prepare — not just in terms of your equipment but also mentally and physically.” The ad spruiks the brand’s SkinGuard range, highlighting the issue of sensitive skin...

According to self-identified “pro-life” advocates, the fundamental divide between those who want to outlaw abortion and those who want to keep it legal comes down to one question: when does life begin? Anti-abortion advocacy pushes the view that life begins at conception; the name of their movement carefully centers the conceit that opposition to abortion rights is simply about wanting to save human lives. A new poll shows that’s a lie. The “pro-life” movement is fundamentally about misogyny. A Supermajority/PerryUndem survey released this week divides respondents by their position on abortion, and then tracks their answers to 10 questions on...

Former president conquers 'wealth anxiety' Celebrity authors Barack and Michelle Obama are striking a blow for social, economic, and climate justice, vowing to donate an undisclosed eight-figure sum to Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck in exchange for his massive beachfront estate on Martha's Vineyard, the luxury island vacation spot popular with Northeastern elites, boat-shoed bon vivants, and other rich freaks who use "summer" as a verb and donate to Pete Buttigieg. The 29-acre property, which includes a 7,000-square-foot main house with seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and two guest wings, is listed at $14.85 million—well within the Obamas' price range after...

Patrick Byrnes, former CEO of Overstock resigns and is appearing on FOXNEWS spilling the beans on the faux Russia collusion. Claims Hitlary was part of the investigation to be setup to be blackmailed. Goes into detail about the investigation and his role in it with the Russian female spy.

Many Chinese policymakers believe they are entitled to dominate others, especially peoples on their periphery. That concept underpinned the imperial tributary system in which states near and far were supposed to acknowledge Chinese rule. Although there is no "cultural DNA" that forces today's communist leaders to view the world as emperors did long ago, the tributary system nonetheless presents, as Stephen Platt of the University of Massachusetts points out, "a tempting model" of "a nostalgic 'half-idealized, half-mythologized past.' " In that past, there were no fixed national boundaries. There was even no concept of "China." There was, as Yi-Zheng Lian...

FULL TITLE: Pastor Jarrid Wilson Launches #GreatJoys Movement to Counter Alyssa Milano’s Celebration of Her Abortions A pastor based in Southern California is offering a different perspective after actor and activist Alyssa Milano recently celebrated her past abortions, claiming her life would be “lacking all its great joys” if she hadn’t terminated two of her pregnancies when she was in her early 20s. Jarrid Wilson, pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship and founder of the non-profit Anthem of Hope, posted a tweet Wednesday, responding to Milano. In it, he asked people to post pictures of their own children along with the...

There will be some hiccups on our path to a more environmentally-friendly future. Some hiccups, like exploding electric cars, will be bigger than others. So, I’m willing to excuse France for the very, very predictable failure of their solar panel road. On the off chance you have not been thinking about the solar panel road—cheekily dubbed Wattway—over the last several years, allow me to refresh your memory. n 2016, the French government in conjunction with the company Colas built a one-kilometer long road covered in solar panels in a small village in Normandy for $5.2 million. Protected with silicon and...

NBC Sports Pro Football Talk turned into a venue for bashing Donald Trump and conservatives when Mike Florio and Chris Simms said they had to expose “hypocritical sports fans” and media personalities.

[Catholic Caucus] Lawsuit accusing retired bishop of drunken sexual assault settled CHARLESTON, West Virginia - A lawsuit accusing the former bishop of West Virginia’s Catholic diocese of molesting boys and men has been settled.The terms of the recent settlement are confidential, Wheeling-Charleston Diocese spokesman Tim Bishop said in a statement. The diocese declined further comment.A former personal altar server sued ex-Bishop Michael Bransfield and the diocese in March, saying he was sexually assaulted in 2014 and harassed for years prior. The filing asserted Bransfield would consume at least half a bottle of liqueur nightly and had drunkenly assaulted or harassed...

A family of street performers could walk on coals. Here’s how the secret of why they felt no pain could benefit others. The street performer was only 10 years old. He put knives through his arms and walked on hot embers. By 14 he was dead. Someone dared him to jump from a roof. He did it, knowing it wouldn’t hurt. The case of the Pakistani boy with a rare genetic disorder was described in 2006. He could feel warmth and cold and the texture of objects. But he never felt pain. Now scientists have paired the discovery with the...

Hollywood, FL – Abortionist Harvey Craig Roth has been disciplined by the Florida Board of Medicine for conducting a surgical abortion on the wrong woman in 2017 at A Women’s Center of Hollywood, an abortion facility in Hollywood, Florida. A final order in the case dated July 22, 2019, noted that a settlement agreement was reached with Roth where he agreed to pay a fine of $10,000, costs totaling $3,563.70, and has had a “Letter of Concern” placed in his file. Roth will also have to undergo additional education in risk management and give a one-hour lecture on “risk management...

Up to 20 officers at a Manhattan detention facility where disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was being held before his death earlier this month have reportedly been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury for testimony. CNN reported Thursday that a source close to the investigation said that as many as 20 subpoenas have been issued, with more possibly on the way. Epstein, 66, was found dead due to an apparent suicide after guards reportedly failed to conduct rounds by his cell over the course of three hours, despite regulations stating that he was to be checked on every 30 minutes. The...

Stand Your Ground is alive and well in California. A CA criminal defense attorney has successfully defended another client faced with charges for self defense with a firearm. This case involves a woman who used her side arm to protect herself from robbers intent on running her down. She was charged by the DA, the robbers walked. After a vigorous defense the jury acquitted her in 40 minutes. https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/08/22/security-guard-was-charged-for-shooting-tire-of-truck-she-believed-would-run-her-over-a-jury-acquitted-her-in-40-minutes/

Hasan Piker, a contributor with the left-wing "Young Turks" network, unleashed a vulgar rant on Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, a Navy SEAL veteran whom Piker claimed lost his eye to a "brave" soldier. Crenshaw, who now wears an eyepatch, lost his eye in an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan. Piker appeared to be describing the Mujahideen, guerilla fighters in Islamic countries, as "brave." Piker took issue with an interview in which Crenshaw apparently commented on foreign policy in a way that deeply upset Piker. Hasan Piker, a contributor with the left-wing "Young Turks" network, unleashed a vulgar rant on...

The real collusion in the 2016 presidential election was not between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. It was between the Clinton campaign and the Obama administration. That’s the explosive conclusion of an important new book, Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency, assiduously researched and authored by the widely respected Andrew McCarthy. The former federal prosecutor – and the man responsible for the conviction of Omar Abdel Rahman, the “blind sheik,” from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing – unmasks the plan to lure Trump campaign operatives into a trap that led to...

A German theme park quickly shut down a new ride -- not due to safety reasons, but because critics said it resembled "flying swastikas." The "Eagle Fly" ride at Tatzmania, an amusement park in Löffingen, a city roughly 60 miles northwest of Zurich, Switzerland, was widely criticized after a video of it in motion reportedly circulated online.