Free Republic

As the Wuhan coronavirus continues to spread, stay at home orders have shut down commerce in many parts of the world. Some have predicted a 40% contraction in the U.S. economy in the 2nd quarter of 2020. This means that China’s economy, heavily dependent upon exports, will see no economic rebound for quite some time. ... The Epoch Times reports that China’s manufacturing industries have completely imploded: Chinese factories are ramping up production as the country struggles to get back on its feet from the pandemic-induced recession. Around 80 percent of the small and medium-sized businesses, and nearly all large...

Yeeee-hah!!!! – In a press conference held Tuesday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that a raft of additional businesses are fixin’ to be allowed to reopen on Friday, May 8. Those businesses include barbers, hair salons, cosmetologists and tanning salons. He also announced that gyms will be able to reopen on May 18, albeit at 25% capacity. Excerpt from a report at the Texas Tribune website: The businesses will be required to follow certain rules as the state continues to grapple with the coronavirus. Hairstylists will be able to work with only one customer at a time. People waiting...

The government is using the coronavirus pandemic to transfer key public health duties from the NHS and other state bodies to the private sector without proper scrutiny, critics have warned. Doctors, campaign groups, academics and MPs raised the concerns about a “power grab” after it emerged on Monday that Serco was in pole position to win a deal to supply 15,000 call-handlers for the government’s tracking and tracing operation.

British epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, who helped create the U.K.’s coronavirus lockdown strategy, resigned from his position at the government on Tuesday after violating social distancing guidelines. The story: Ferguson reportedly had visits at his home from his married lover during the lockdown, despite repeatedly advising the public about the importance of social distancing. Ferguson has frequently appeared on TV where he supported the lockdown and praised the “very intensive social distancing” measures. Ferguson’s lover, Antonia Staats, made at least two visits to his home in London since the lockdown measures were imposed, on 30 March and 8 April, the Telegraph...

The DOJ has just produced even more documents to Flynn's lawyers. "The enclosed documents were obtained and analyzed by USA EDMO in March, April and May 2020" "Additional documents may be forthcoming"

Pope distorts basic Christian teaching in homily It seems that the Pope has confused redsmption with justification. May 4, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – In his homily at Mass on May 4, 2020, starting from the consoling truth that Christ died for all men, appears to have stated a doubly false conclusion: that we are not to convert unbelievers and that His death “justifies” everyone:   Big, small, rich, poor, good and bad. All. This “all” is the vision of the Lord who died for all. “But did he die for that wretch who made my life impossible?” He died for him too. “And for...

...State laws allow for all of these governors to be recalled or impeached, and all deserve what the laws permit. They’ve abused their power, and violated the public trust. They should be drawing unemployment checks rather than executive salaries.

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 68-year-old man from Genessee County has been charged with assault and battery of a Dollar Tree employee after he wiped his face on her shirt when she said he needed to wear a mask inside the store.

Legal weed sales during Illinois’ first full month of coronavirus lockdown amounted to almost $37.3 million, surpassing every month of recreational marijuana sales in Illinois so far except January. Dispensaries have been allowed to stay open during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, which has been extended through May. But operators have had to adapt, implementing online ordering systems, curbside pickup and enforcing social distancing in stores. Even April 20, the well-known holiday celebrating marijuana, was subdued this year. Dispensaries stretched out 4/20 deals to reduce overcrowding in stores, and some celebrated the occasion virtually. Still, last month’s sales bested March’s...

America holds its “Greatest Generation” in a unique place of honor. We treasure the enormous contributions the men and women who are now our senior citizens have made to our freedom and prosperity, at home and abroad. Yet the sacred right of today’s seniors to have their political choices honored at the ballot box are at high risk because of vote fraud. Faced with challenges of aging such as sensory and mobility changes, access to transportation or a residence change to a new voting jurisdiction, seniors often rely on others to assist them with voting. They are also the trusting...

...22% of Sanders supporters are planning on either voting for a third party candidate, voting for Donald Trump, or not voting at all. The count of #NeverBiden Democrats is considerably higher than usual for a party nominee seeking the support of those who supported his primary opponents. Biden has the lowest voter enthusiasm level recorded for a Democratic presidential nominee...

New Glarus to dump 5,000 to 10,000 half-empty kegs for farm fertilizer in coming weeks Thousands of barrels of beer are being dumped or reused across Wisconsin because of the state shutdown, and more beer dumping could be happening soon. "We've heard of some distributors, some bars, larger breweries, with bigger distribution networks having to dump beer. And it's like dumping a little piece of your soul down the drain," said Tim Pauly, co-founder of Broken Bat Brewing Co. in Milwaukee. Broken Bat Brewing just moved to a new location, so all its kegged beer is still fresh, but the...

Governor Ned Lamont Tuesday announced Tuesday that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he is ordering in-person classes at all K-12 public school facilities in Connecticut to remain canceled for the rest of the 2019-2020 academic year and continue providing distance learning during this period. Schools will also be required to continue providing meals to children under the school lunch and breakfast programs for students at home. ... “I know how important it is for so many students and teachers to finish out the school year, and I was holding out hope – particularly for high school seniors – that...

The Google-owned video clip service acted after repeatedly warning Mr Icke that he had violated its policies by posting misleading information about the coronavirus pandemic. "YouTube has clear policies prohibiting any content that disputes the existence and transmission of Covid-19 as described by the WHO and the NHS," The tech firm subsequently went further by banning any material that....explicitly disputes the efficacy of guidance about social distancing and self-isolation that has been issued by the WHO and/or local health authorities.

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States had nothing to do with an alleged incursion into Venezuela that landed two U.S. citizens behind bars in the crisis-stricken South American nation. Trump said he had just learned of the detention of the pair, accused by Venezuela of being mercenaries. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said they were part of an operation to kill him that was backed by neighboring Colombia and the United States. “Whatever it is, we’ll let you know,” Trump told reporters in Washington before departing from the White House to Arizona. “But it has...

The unbelievable situation we find ourselves in is the stuff of science fiction novels and apocalyptic thrillers. When the Wuhan Flu or Coronavirus or COVID-19 or whatever you want to call it hit the shores of the Red, White, and Blue we had no idea what would happen. No one did. They all used computer models, which turned out to be false to terrorize Americans and the world into submission. They succeeded. Depending on your location you have endured whatever edict came from your state capitol. In the name of “Flattening the Curve” and saving lives we all got in...

I’ve been keeping my nose to the ground looking for lighthearted videos to share lately, and found one yesterday that might put a smile on your face. It’s a video of a bald eagle sitting on what appears to be somebody’s back porch, and the person shooting the video has apparently struck a deal with the bird where he gives it a snack and gets a song in return. First of all, the guy behind the camera in this video kind of cracks me. And I don’t know about you, but this was a nice little break from the rest...

U.S.—Many states have begun extending their lockdowns permanently in a bid to end traffic deaths for good. States found that as they locked everybody in their homes, car accidents virtually disappeared. So they did the obvious thing and decided the lockdowns should be made permanent. "A million people die in auto accidents every year, and if you want people to be able to go outside, you obviously want all these people to die," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "Why do you hate people so much, anti-science bigots? I'll wait for an answer." Cuomo then just stood there, arms folded,...

The state Supreme Court's conservative justices, during arguments Tuesday that were at times testy and complicated by video technology, expressed deep skepticism about the authority of a cabinet secretary to extend Gov. Tony Evers' "safer at home" strategy for controlling the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The 90-minute arguments, heard remotely by video conference, came after Evers and leaders from both parties in the Legislature met for the first time to discuss a bipartisan response to the pandemic, which through Monday afternoon had killed 340 Wisconsin residents and sickened 8,236. Chief Justice Patience Roggensack thanked...

Synopsis: Due to outdated international law (1967 Outer Space Treaty) Trump administration to work with other like minded nations to settle on a new agreement called the "Artemis Accord" going forward to place bases and industry on the moon and other celestial bodies. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine pokes Obama in the eye.