Free Republic

What Happens If You Can’t Pay Your Electricity Bill? By Julianne Geiger - Apr 01, 2020, 5:00 PM CDT Join Our Community Electricity With over 3 million Americans losing their jobs, and many more forced into lockdown, utilities are facing lower demand and more consumers that can’t afford to pay the bills At a time when over 3 million Americans have already lost their jobs, and as many as 47 million may be added to the unemployment roster, all that virus-forced staying at home will increase energy bills for people with limited means of paying them--at least until unemployment benefits...

Planned Parenthood is requesting donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) for its staff as the group demands elective abortions continue during the coronavirus crisis in the United States. In an email message to supporters, Sue Dunlap, president of the group’s Los Angeles affiliate, wrote Planned Parenthood needs: Supplies for our clinics –– In order to keep our patients, staff, and sites moving through this emergency, we need all of the same supplies you are hearing about on the news. As gloves, masks, and medications run low, we are doing all that we can to procure supplies for the essential care...

After having crashed nearly 70 percent in the first three months of 2020, benchmark WTI prices are trying to form a bottom around $20 per barrel. But this psychological threshold is looking increasingly shaky as global crude storage facilities are filling up at an unprecedented pace. OPEC and its partners officially ended their output cut deal today, following the words of Russian Energy Minister Novak that every producer is ‘’free to pump at will’’. With a flood of physical crude set to hit the market, it will take weeks, not months, for global oil storage space to run out. The...

This is my meager attempt to make a video of Trump's State of the Union on Feb. 4, 2020 when he speaks of the coronavirus. The video begins with "Madam Speaker", the Trump's comments, followed by Pelosi tearing up the speech. Video is at the link of the article above.

China's ports and shipping firms are bracing for a second wave of supply chain disruptions that may be deeper and more prolonged than during the country's coronavirus lockdown as the global spread of the virus chokes off international demand.

The Troll in the Bidenbunker Biden promises to stop a pandemic, but can’t even do a webcast. Mon Mar 30, 2020 Daniel Greenfield 35 Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is an investigative journalist and writer focusing on the radical Left and Islamic terrorism. Last year, Joe Biden had been renting a $6 million miniature version of the White House with crystal chandeliers, a home theater, and parking for 20 cars in McLean, Virginia. The former home of Secretary of State Alexander Haig, the estate was perfect for schmoozing Beltway insiders, courting donors, and letting an...

U.S.—Teachers at government schools have raised their concerns that the recent closure of their institutions will have a damaging effect on students. In particular, the nation's educators are worried that the longer the schools are closed, the more likely it is that students will begin thinking for themselves, learn life skills away from the government school system, and realize how much more they learn at home. "We must reopen as soon as possible -- before they regain their ability to have independent thoughts," said New York 4th-grade teacher Ms. Jenny Mudd. "This is an urgent crisis. We realize we have...

Video at link.

On Wednesday, the mayor of Cumming, Georgia, announced that he was canceling the city's social distancing order, despite there being almost 5,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state.

It was on January 29th, 1974, that a beloved New Jersey institution debuted: The Uncle Floyd Show, starring Floyd Vivino. Uncle Floyd, “whose trademarks are a plaid jacket, a bow tie and offbeat humor,” as the New York Times put it, hosted the variety show until 1998. The show featured comedy sketches and a cast of characters that included a puppet named “Oogie." While the show is known for being a low-budget affair, if you read a list of some of the acts that performed on the show, you might be surprised. New Jersey-based acts like the Smithereens and Bon...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpQFCcSI0pU

Most kids dress up in their parents’ suits, shoes or makeup to feel more mature, but 5-year-old George Moore isn’t most kids. George and his similarly-mischievous older brother Harry, 7, from Slade Green in London, were watching British series “You’ve Been Framed!” — which airs funny home videos sent by viewers — when George decided he wanted to look more distinguished. So he grabbed a pair of electric clippers belonging to his dad, Kevin Moore, and brought them to Harry, asking if he would help cut his hair in the style of an “old man,” he said.

Spain, Turkey and The Netherlands are returning defective Chinese coronavirus supplies. Defective medical supplies could put lives at risk. Then why is the world still buying from China?

Tiny and vividly-coloured, Maratus spiders are unique to Australia and have proved an Internet hit where videos of their elaborate courtship dances with added music and photoshopped accessories have clocked millions of views. At just 22 years old Joseph has now described a total of 12 species of Peacock Spiders, having previously described five in 2019. Despite growing up terrified of spiders, Joseph became fascinated by them over time and has already proven himself a world leader in Maratus research. In his previous research, Joseph was sent specimens to identify by a dedicated spider-loving community of the not-for-profit Project Maratus...

A little humor....

With the coronavirus outbreak forcing social distancing and keeping most Americans in their homes in hopes of preventing a spread of the virus, the Democratic presidential nomination calendar has been upended, with many states postponing their remaining contests. Mail-in voting was already the default option for three states that were scheduled to hold contests on April 4: Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming. Now all three states are moving to nearly 100 percent vote-by-mail and are extending the deadlines for ballots to be delivered and received. Among the states that have delayed their primaries until June, Georgia and Ohio are spending millions...

Last week The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, whose patrons tend to be very wealthy, received a whopping $25 million American taxpayer dollars. The funding was part of Washington's $2 trillion Wuhan coronavirus rescue package.  Politicians like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and lobbyists backing the center argued musicians, who are no longer working, needed financial stability like workers in other parts of the country. But despite the pleading and justification for the emergency funding, musicians and other workers are being fired anyway.  NEW: According to internal discussions and documents obtained by RCP, the Kennedy Center intends to furlough 60%...

There have been a lot more empty seats at President Donald Trump's daily news briefings - but no, news organizations aren't boycotting the events in protest or attempting to silence him, despite what he suggested at a briefing this week. Instead, something else is afoot: Reporters are keeping their distance because they are concerned about the health risks at a time when many consider the president's evening news conferences to have become increasingly less newsworthy. More at link The decision by such outlets as The Washington Post, The New York Times and CNBC to stay away may be fundamentally changing...

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has called for a nationwide shutdown in an effort to combat the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. The Hill reports that Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist has called on a nationwide lockdown of the United States in an op-ed in the Washington Post. Gates states that he has spoken with experts through his charity who have stated that national policy would be more effective than multiple states issuing stay-at-home others while others remain open. Gates argues that the country needs a “consistent nationwide approach to shutting down.” Gates writes in the op-ed: “Despite urging from public...

This story first appeared in 1600 Daily, the White House’s evening newsletter. Subscribe now to get breaking news from President Trump before anyone else. On March 16, President Trump announced public health guidelines to slow the spread of Coronavirus in America. He asked every family to unite against this invisible enemy, making changes to our daily routines as part of a national effort to save lives.Thanks to you, it’s working. So many communities, small businesses, and Americans from all backgrounds are patriotically doing their part. President Trump knows these changes are difficult on many. To help as much as possible, he...