Free Republic

Gilles Desaulniers moved to San Francisco 40 years ago, settling in the ‘friendly, quaint and affordable’ city after running out of cash while driving from Canada down the West Coast of America. Today he runs a grocery store filled with fresh fruit, vegan snacks and organic wines typical of this famously liberal Californian city. But Gilles has shut one outlet and would sell up entirely if anyone wanted this one, his remaining shop. Each day, up to 30 people stroll in and openly steal goods, costing him hundreds of dollars.

Comedian Bill Maher seemed baffled by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Friday, suggesting that she was "crazy" in the way she wanted to vet her Secretary of Education. His comments came after Warren pledged to allow an unidentified "young trans person" to veto her pick for leading the Education Department. "Now, [former President Barack] Obama said people just don't want crazy stuff," Maher said during Friday's "Real Time with Bill Maher." "Is this not crazy stuff?" he said, while also jokingly asking if Warren was running to serve as "President of Berkeley."

Did you know todays date is the same backwards and forwards? 02/02/2020 reverse it and it is the same, first time in over 900 years.

Let's talk about nuisance abatement laws. These are laws cities can use to shut down businesses that appear to draw more than their fair share of the criminal element. If you're a fan of asset forfeiture, you'll love nuisance laws. By abdicating their law enforcement responsibilities, cities can have their lower cost cake and eat your property too. It's win-win for cities, who love to use laws like this to effectively seize property from citizens who have the misfortune to operate legitimate businesses in high crime areas. Here's how it works in Dallas, Texas. The city says business owners must...

Today’s CG is from me A NXDU WXP TUOJPKU VX EIX KVXIGNJRUK JSU JNARU, JVC AE AK BXKKATNU, AG WXP KEJVC EABBW-EXU, EX IJNR TUEIUUV ELU SJAVCSXBK.---VARRA YAXDJVVA You can find this little fun word game, to combat early dementia and senility in us baby boomers, in several daily publications. The way it works is a letter stands for another letter. For example: AXYDLBAAXR is LONGFELLOW (does not apply to today's cryptogram). Beware, the game is very addictive. If this is your first time, don't be intimidated. PLEASE DO NOT post the answer in general comments, but DO post your...

Dem Rep. Ilhan Omar Describes Disappointment of Moving to America, Seeing Homelessness ROUGH Transcript: When I first came to the United States, I remember one of the first things that I saw was homeless people sleeping on the sides of Manhattan when we arrived in New York. And I remember turning to my father and saying, “This does not look like the America you promised.” And my father said, “Hush, child, we are going to get to our America.” Because the America we were shown in the orientation states when we were coming here from the refugee camps in Kenya...

As the media remember Kobe Bryant’s legacy, some of them are acknowledging his faith. Americans mourned the death of the basketball legend after the media confirmed that both he and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, perished in a helicopter crash. Seven others also died in the Jan. 26 crash in California. While the tragedy made waves in the news, a more hopeful undercurrent focused on Bryant’s relationship with God. Outlets including CNN, The Washington Post, Fox News, and the New York Post mentioned the 41-year old’s faith. Bryant retired in 2016 after playing with the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 seasons –...

Will Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of impeachment? The plump Groundhog's wacky weather prediction always falls on February 2. In the Northern Hemisphere, this date traditionally marks the midpoint between the winter solstice in December and the spring equinox in March. Today February 2, the people of our nation (at least a few of us) will watch with bated breath as Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow. It’s said that if Phil encounters his shadow, we’ll be in for six more weeks of winter weather, but if he doesn’t, then spring is just around the corner. So which will...

Democrats find themselves in an unenviable position for the 2020 election: they have to convince the American public that they don’t know how bad they have it at a time when we have it pretty good. Their task is like me trying to convince my 2-year-old daughter that she doesn’t really like chocolate ice cream – an impossibility. But when the alternative is to run a campaign extolling the virtues of socialism and the need for government to take life decision-making powers away from individuals, talking people out of believing reality seems like an easier task. The economy is churning...

Red Sovine has our gospel tune today: I Got Religion The Old Time Way (1956). THE WESTERNER https://thewesterner.blogspot.com/

Ever since Carter established the Department of Education in 1979, presidents have at least pretended to select their DOE head by looking at that person’s theories and expertise about educational opportunities for all students. Elizabeth Warren, however, has decided that all potential Education secretaries must pass muster with a single demographic: “A young trans person.” And no, this is not a story from the Babylon Bee. It’s a genuine story of Elizabeth Warren pandering on the campaign trail. At a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Elizabeth Warren was giving a speech to a young audience when she began to...

A shootout at a border wall construction site near San Diego that wounded two Mexican security guards last summer is now under FBI investigation, according to private contractors and government documents obtained by The Washington Post. The incident, which has not been publicly disclosed, occurred on the night of July 1 east of the San Ysidro border crossing, when Mexican security guards came under fire while protecting materials and equipment for Texas-based Ultimate Concrete, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report. One of the guards was shot in the lower right buttock, and another suffered a light...

Welcome to The Bicycle Thread. A monthly PING List for bicycle enthusiasts to share experiences, information and ideas.

WILLOW FALLS, NY—Pastor Chuck Nielsen of Foundations Church prides himself on his powerful, moving sermons. But congregants began to grow concerned when Nielsen referenced articles from popular satire site The Babylon Bee in nearly every message. "At first, we thought he was playing along, but it became increasingly clear that he thought the Bee was real news," said church member Edna Willis. Nielsen has reportedly cited articles like "Elevation Church Debuts Water Slide Baptismal" and "Joel Osteen Sails Luxury Yacht Through Flooded Houston To Pass Out Copies Of 'Your Best Life Now'" to demonstrate how far the American church has...

MANILA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Blood samples taken from pigs in a southern province in the Philippines, the world's 10th-largest pork consumer, tested positive for the African swine fever virus, the Department of Agriculture said on Sunday. It was the first reported case of African swine fever infections in Davao Occidental province and elsewhere in Mindanao, the southern island of the Southeast Asian nation.

/newb warning/ I know that I'm not the only freeper thats talked about what a politically charged atmosphere has to exist inside the Hard Rock Miami Stadium today. I just had to share my excitement in hoping that the stadium at least once erupts into cheers and chants of approval for our great 45th president of the USA. We have a lot to be grateful for...

Chinese authorities have been accused of leaving people to ‘starve and die’ after shocking videos emerged of police barricading families into their homes to stop the spread of coronavirus. Footage sent to Metro.co.uk shows masked men nailing huge metal bars over the doors and windows of people feared to be infected with the deadly disease. In one, a woman can be heard screaming and pleading as uniformed officers lock her inside. A sign outside her sealed off door reads: ‘This family came back from Wuhan. Stay away, no contact’. The video is believed to have emerged from Nantong, in the...

Britain is reclaiming its agency as a self-governing nation. Its example will reverberate throughout Europe. . . It’s easy to point and laugh at such an extravagant statement, but Tusk was verbalizing the incredible challenge Brexit presents to a certain kind of European mind, a mind conditioned to the idea that democracy inheres not in popular sovereignty — democratic peoples governing themselves — but in the elite administration of human rights, insulated from democratic passions and prejudices It is this worldview that has shaped the construction of the European Union. The EU is governed by an unelected Commission and an...

A Virginia Beach man is embracing a major challenge: Seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. It’s called the World Marathon Challenge. “I’m feeling good. I’m looking forward to it,” said Ashoka Arora. Ashoka Arora Arora said he has run ultra-marathons - which are 100 miles - and he has completed a few Ironman races, but now he’s taking on a whole new challenge. He said when he got into running, this was a bucket list item for him. News 3 met up with up with the 58-year-old at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach. He said it is his...

With the coronavirus sweeping through major manufacturing hubs in China, the government has mandated shutdowns in many cities. The mandatory evacuation and closure of many businesses and schools in the area has shut down a number of manufacturing facilities and distributors located in China. In addition, many companies based in the United States and elsewhere are suspending or limiting their operations in China. The outbreak and resulting measures imposed by the government are impacting companies with manufacturing facilities, or suppliers, located in China. With no end to the outbreak in sight, the impact on the supply chain is likely to...