Free Republic

Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones’ drummer since the group’s inception in 1962, is “unlikely to be available” for the group’s rescheduled U.S. tour this fall. Veteran drummer Steve Jordan, who has worked extensively with Stones co-founder Keith Richards, will fill in.Watts, who turned 80 in June, recently underwent a “completely successful” medical procedure, according to a statement from the group.

The US media establishment “moved heaven and earth” to make President Joe Biden seem presidential at the CNN town hall, according to Sky News Digital Editor Jack Houghton. “In America we are witnessing this issue played out in reverse as the gushing media establishment moves heaven and earth to make President Joe Biden seem presidential," he said. “As Biden fronted the CNN town hall this week, his chief stenographer Don Lemon was on the case. And boy did Don come prepared with some tough questions for the ‘big guy’.” Biden was asked to name one extraordinary moment since becoming president...

PHOENIX (AP) — A top Arizona lawmaker asked state Attorney General Mark Brnovich on Tuesday to investigate whether Maricopa County is breaking the law by refusing to comply with subpoenas for records related to the 2020 election. Majority Whip Sonny Borrelli of Lake Havasu City, the No. 3 Republican in the Senate, filed his complaint under Senate Bill 1487. The 5-year-old law allows any lawmaker to demand an investigation of “any ordinance, regulation, order or other official action” taken by a local government that may conflict with state law.

BACKGROUND Despite the high efficacy of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), rare breakthrough infections have been reported, including infections among health care workers. Data are needed to characterize these infections and define correlates of breakthrough and infectivity. METHODS At the largest medical center in Israel, we identified breakthrough infections by performing extensive evaluations of health care workers who were symptomatic (including mild symptoms) or had known infection exposure. These evaluations included epidemiologic investigations, repeat reverse-transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assays, antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic testing (Ag-RDT), serologic assays, and genomic sequencing. Correlates of breakthrough infection were...

~ The FReeper Canteen Presents ~ ~ Remembering Our Troops!! ~ Lighting Up The Skies! The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team performs formation flight demonstrations during EAA AirVenture’s Oshkosh 2021 night show, at Wittman Regional Airport, WI, July 31 2021. The airshow celebrates aviation history and heritage while featuring multiple types of military aircraft to showcase combat simulations in homage to the World War II, Korean and Vietnam eras. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Peter Reft) Canteen Mission StatementShowing support and boosting the morale ofour military and our allies' militaryand family members of the above.Honoring those who have served...

There are lots of good memes here for the taking.

COVID-19, global warming and diminishing Catholic guiltWould that the pope could declare vaccine skeptics and climate-change deniers heretics and put their books, articles, Facebook pages and tweets on the Index of Forbidden Books.(RNS) — COVID-19 and global warming are enough to make me long for the days of clerical power and Catholic guilt. In those good/bad old days, the church’s hierarchy was able to issue thunderous edicts and most Catholics would follow its directions like sheep. If the laity did not, they would feel guilty and fear going to hell.The church used to have the power to make and break...

Majority of NY Assembly would oust Cuomo if he doesn’t quit ASSOCIATED PRESS AUGUST 04, 2021 04:09 PM In this image taken video provided by Office of the NY Governor, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo makes a statement in a pre-recorded video released, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in New York. An investigation into New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has found that he sexually harassed multiple current and former state government employees. State Attorney General Letitia James announced Tuesday. (Office of the NY Governor via AP ) ALBANY, N.Y. A majority of state Assembly members support beginning impeachment proceedings against Gov....

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Two Los Angeles City councilmembers have introduced a motion that would require people to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter certain indoor public spaces. “We know now that even with vaccination we can get sick so I have to protect my staff,” said Stephanie Domalain, general manager of the Hill Street restaurant. Under the motion introduced by Council President Nury Martinez and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell Wednesday, people who have to show proof of having received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine in order to dine indoors in restaurants or bars,...

My dear fellow FReepers, please lift my husband and my sweet kitty "Sam" up in prayer. Started behaving poorly last evening, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, not much interested in water, and diarrhea. Not vomiting which is good. Today started treatment with cat-specialized probiotic and giving unflavored Pedialyte, from giving water plain last night to morning. Dear Lord Jesus, we don't have the funds for high vet fees. Please heal our big kitty baby. Please show us what to do. Amen.

102-year-old Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins and 100-year-old Orville Rogers just broke world records in track and field events. How do they do it? "I have a determination to hang in there. Keep going. Never give up," Rogers has said. 100-year-old and 102-year-old runners break world records (video)

Sen. Rand Paul has once again called for Americans to resist mask mandates, lockdowns, and 'harmful' policies, even as another COVID scare makes its way through the Senate. Paul, who this March became the first senator to contract COVID-19, urged Americans to refuse to comply with government restrictions – even as a spike in coronavirus infections driven by the Delta variant has states and localities reimposing measures like mask requirements for indoor establishments. 'They can’t arrest us all. They can’t keep all your kids home from school. They can’t keep every government building closed – although I’ve got a long...

Mods, sorry for the vanity. But we have a new kid on the block here, and I want to get mean-old FReepers thoughts about Stew Peters. Peters just cracked the top 5 of podcasts. He has had many people on debunking COVID-19, the vaccines, and he has been on the frontlines of the phony Jan 6th commission. So, do you think he's the real deal, the future, or just a pale imitation of Alex Jones?

My half sister's father, a US Army E-7 retiree died very recently. They have already stopped his retirement and VA payments and understand they are terminated as of his DOD last week. Her father had a VGLI policy and named her stepmother (not the half sister's biological mother who died giving childbirth) as the beneficiary. The father and stepmother separated but did not divorce 12 years ago. The family has never had contact with the stepmother for that entire period and has no contact information.The VA was notified of the death and is now searching for the stepmother beneficiary. They...

An infamous Internet figure has been charged with sexually abusing an elderly family member. Christine Weston Chandler, 39, better known as “Sonichu” creator Chris-Chan, was arrested Sunday for incest, according to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia. From deputies: On July 31st, 2021 the Greene County Sheriffs Office received information involving sex crimes against a family member, who resides in the Ruckersville area. Both the victim and the suspect reside in Greene County. Based on the investigation, an arrest warrant was issued. The victim is reportedly cognitively disabled. You will likely know of Chandler by reputation if you like...

A bizarre video has captured the moment an anti-lockdown protester who pretended to be doing yoga in a park with a group of others was dragged away by cops. In the wild footage, a maskless man could be seen kneeling on the grass of New Farm park in Brisbane's CBD on Monday as police held his arms behind his back. 'Leave my jacket alone,' he told the officers before they carted him away. People in locked-down south-east Queensland are only allowed to exercise outdoors with one other person amid some of the toughest restrictions the state has ever seen to...

eBay and former top executives were sued for allegedly running a bizarre cyber-campaign to “terrorize, stalk and silence” a suburban Boston blogger and her husband who were critical of the e-commerce company. Ina and David Steiner claim they were left psychologically damaged from the 2019 cyberstalking operation, which they say included macabre anonymous deliveries such as a bloody pig mask, surveillance by eBay security executives and phony online ads designed to send strangers to their home for sex parties. eBay “engaged in a systematic campaign to emotionally and psychologically torture” the Steiners, of Natick, Massachusetts, according to the lawsuit, filed...

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A FBI agent on the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping case charged with assaulting a woman refused to answer questions as he left a Kalamazoo County courtroom Wednesday. Richard Trask and his attorney did not questions on whether he will still be one of the lead FBI agents testifying against suspects accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer. Trask appeared in Kalamazoo County District Court for a preliminary exam hearing, which was adjourned until Aug. 31.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are more than twice as likely as heterosexuals to have a long-term mental health condition, an analysis of NHS data suggests. They are also more likely to drink heavily and smoke, the report says. About 2% of people said they were lesbian, gay or bisexual in the 2011-18 Health Survey for England. The findings "confirm well-established health inequalities for LGB people", say rights groups. Of the adults surveyed over the eight years, 1,132 or 2%, identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual. Participants weren't asked about trans status or gender identity, but this is being considered...

The Egyptian government has been forced to clarify that they do not intend to include an LGBTQ-positive message in the country’s 20-pound note. Some citizens got upset when the Central Bank of Egypt debuted the country’s new polymer banknotes online, claiming a watermark is secretly a gay pride flag superimposed over a mosque. The wild rumor started after the government unveiled the new notes. The new design includes an image of the newly-built Al-Fattah Al-Aleem mosque and the watermark is over top of the drawing. The bank stressed that the designs were “preliminary” and that the “rainbow” is a security...