Free Republic

The death rate from cancer in the US declined by 29% from 1991 to 2017, including a 2.2% drop from 2016 to 2017, the largest single-year drop ever recorded, according to annual statistics reporting from the American Cancer Society. The decline in deaths from lung cancer drove the record drop. Deaths fell from about 3% per year from 2008 - 2013 to 5% from 2013 - 2017 in men and from 2% to almost 4% in women. However, lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death. (snip)

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the cancellation of the secretary’s planned trip to the region over the spiraling situation in the Middle East. The State Department on Monday said Pompeo discussed the situation in the Middle East with Zelensky and thanked the Ukrainian president for condemning the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Pompeo also reiterated the strong U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and underscored the long-term strategic partnership between the two countries. Pompeo was set to travel to Ukraine on Jan. 3, at a time when...

A world of ancient mystery is located in Iran, with some sites dating back over 7,000 years, far before the civilization of the Persian Empire and its capital, Persepolis. This archaeological site is the number one tourist destination in the country, and with good reason. Culture Trip takes a look into why this forgotten empire is one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world. Persepolis is no doubt the main attraction that lures tourists to Iran. Located about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) outside of the modern city of Shiraz, these ancient ruins served as the capital of the...

Okay, I was reading old pulp novels and finishing off the Christmas oranges and I got the idea (Okay, I stole the idea from the book and extrapolated it) to look into seeing what modern gunsmiths (who have access to allows and machine tools never imagined 90 years ago) might do with replicating the weapons most appearing in the books I was reading? I have seen the double barrel Colt 1911 models...but what about the Mauser C96? With modern steel could one be made to fire small rifle cartridges of the period (30-30 maybe?) And how about the Thompson Submachine...

President Donald Trump wrongly dismissed the continuing threat of the Islamic State group and spread a false tale of the U.S. paying out billions of dollars to Iran as part of the multinational deal freezing its nuclear program in an address Wednesday that fell short on facts. He also made an assertion that is as dubious as it was provocative: that the Iranian missiles fired by Tehran at two military bases hosting U.S. forces in Iraq were paid for by money “made available” to Iran by the Obama administration. A look at some of the president’s claims in his remarks...

Fox News anchor Bret Baier marveled at the responses from critics of President Trump who are hesitant to approve of his strategy on Iran. "You wonder whether Trump Derangement Syndrome factors in to some of the responses you hear publicly in Washington," Baier said Wednesday. "Trump Derangement Syndrome" is a label defenders of the president use as a pejorative to describe liberals or others who oppose Trump in anything he does or says. Baier (regarded nationally) as one of Fox News's fairest journalists on staff, praised Trump for not attacking Iran after the country launched missile strikes on a series...

RUSH: I want to get some of the audio sound bites here of the some of the Drive-By Media that happened last night and this morning after Iran launched its impotent little salvo at a couple of bases in Iraq where Americans were stationed. We have a montage here — this is audio sound bite number 3. This is literally the Drive-By Media praising Iran for intentionally causing no casualties and saving the world from the madman, Donald Trump. Now, let me give you the timeline of this. Last night when Iran launches its missiles, which we all saw in...

Well, I’m on the phone with my computer security service, and as I understand it someone compromised my IP address and is using it to download child pornography. I might just be a random target. But this could be an attempt to Qanon me. It’s an ugly world out there.

The United States may be headed into a bad flu season, according to figures recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of the last week of December, “widespread” flu activity was reported by health departments in 46 states. More ominously, a second measure — the percentage of patients with flu symptoms visiting medical clinics — shot up almost to the peak reached at the height of the 2017-18 flu season, which was the most severe in a decade.

The Welsh language could be set to thrive over the long-term, according to projections of whether endangered languages will flourish or fail. New Zealand’s native language on the other hand is projected to become extinct. More than half of the world’s estimated 7000 languages are expected to go extinct by 2100. But the Welsh language, spoken by about half a million people today, is expected to “thrive in the long term”, based on a model looking at how proficiency in languages changes over time. By contrast, te reo Maori, the language of the indigenous Maori in New Zealand, which nearly...

A growing number of Democratic senators are saying it's time for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to submit the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate. "We are reaching a point where the articles of impeachment should be sent," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters Wednesday. In an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday, Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said he believes "it is time for the speaker to send" the articles. Meanwhile, Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., told CNN Tuesday in remarks confirmed by NBC News that he is "hoping"...

Buckingham Palace is understood to be 'disappointed' at Harry and Meghan's decision to quit as senior royals amid claims that the couple did not tell the Queen before they announced their departure on social media. They made their announcement on their official Instagram account this evening following speculation about a move. Following their statement, the BBC's Royal Correspondent Jonny Dymond said on Twitter: 'BBC Understands that no other member of the Royal Family was consulted before Harry and Meghan issued their personal statement tonight, the Palace is understood to be "disappointed".' A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman followed up by saying that...

An Iranian has called for a multi-million dollar bounty on President Donald Trump for the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Iraq in a .legal military operation. If Iranians would accept removal from office instead of death, Democrats like Nancy Pelosi might have a chance at the reward.

The liberal media can pipe down now that President Donald Trump’s formidable economy is crushing it following his speech concerning the U.S.-Iran conflict Jan. 8. CNBC reported Jan. 8 that “Stocks rose on Wednesday after President Donald Trump spoke about an attack by Iran at an Iraqi airbase that hosts American troops, which led to a massive sell-off in overnight trading.” The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 213 points (0.8 percent), The Nasdaq increased 0.7 percent to an all-time high, and the S&P 500 increased 0.7 percent to hit a record high. This came after Trump stated that Iran“‘appears to...

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be walking away from an estimated £5.5 million in Royal funds after they announced they would be 'stepping back' from their duties as senior Royals in a bid to become 'financially independent'. But just how do the couple, who have an estimated combined net worth of £34 million, fund their lavish lifestyle which in the past has included their six-week Christmas break to Canada and solo trips to the US, such as when Meghan flew to America to watch Serena Williams play tennis. In terms of what the couple receive from the Royal household,...

Although Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx submitted nearly three times the number of signatures needed to be placed on the ballot, challengers argued on Monday that more than half of her nominating petitions were improperly completed and she should be disqualified from seeking reelection. “We have a clear fraud,” said Jeffrey Greenspan, adding that because Foxx is the county’s highest-ranking law enforcement official, she has a special obligation to get it right.” Foxx’s attorneys said that there is no evidence to support such bold claims and that Foxx collected well above the required number of signatures, anticipating that some...

Victoria police say there is no evidence any of the devastating bushfires in the state were caused by arson, contrary to the spread of global disinformation exaggerating arsonist arrests during the current crisis.A misleading figure suggesting 183 arsonists have been arrested “since the start of the bushfire season” spread across the globe on Wednesday, after initial reports in News Corp were picked up by Donald Trump Jr, US far-right websites and popular alt-right personalities. Jason Wilson (@jason_a_w)Some outlets are reporting this responsibly but the distorted version is all over garbage-tier rightwing media. pic.twitter.com/U9XxmzuKHl January 7, 2020 The figure included...

So the Pope went off script.  Again.  No surprise.  Nor was what he said that much of a surprise. Setting aside his prepared text, Pope Francis warned against the danger of what he termed as “clericalizing the laity”. Sometimes, he said, permanent deacons, who are to be the custodians of service in dioceses, soon find themselves “looking at the altar” and end up as “wannabe priests”. But the Pope apparently does not know what clericalism means.  Clericalism is NOT having those who have offices fulfill those offices.  Clericalism is not wearing vestments.  Clericalism is not wearing a collar.  Clericalism...

The #RedforEd teachers’ movement appears to be moving towards Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) as their choice for the 2020 Democrat nominee. The Sanders campaign highlighted that connection in its recent statement announcing its $34 million 4th quarter fundraising haul, noting, “‘Teacher’ was the most common occupation of Sanders’ fourth quarter donors, the five most common employers were Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, the United States Postal Service and Target.”

RUSH: Here’s a little bit of President Trump today from the speech. We’ll start at audio sound bite number 6. He made a dramatic entrance. Oh! A lot of people are wondering why this particular area of the White House. This was not the Diplomatic Reception Room. It was not the Oval Office. It was not the East Room. It wasn’t a room, actually. It was a hallway. I’ll tell you where this was. If you remember watching some presidential prime time press conferences, you see the president come out of a door and walk down a long hall with...